MANUFACTURE 

OF 

ARTILLERY  AMMUNITION 


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MANUFACTURE 

OF 

AETILLERY  AMMUNITION 


BY  MEMBERS  OF  THE  EDITORIAL 
STAFF  OF  THE  AMERICAN  MACHINIST 

L.  P.  ALFORD,  Editor-in-Chief 
f.  h.  colvin  e.  a.  suverkrop 

Robert  Mawson  John  H.  Van  Deventer 


First  Edition 


McGRAW-HILL  BOOK  COMPANY,  Inc. 
239  WEST  39TH  STREET.    NEW  YORK 


LONDON:  HILL  PUBLISHING  CO.,  Ltd. 

6  &  8  BOUVERIE  ST.,  E.  C. 

1917 


At 


Copyright,  1917,  by  the 
McGraw-Hill  Book  Company,  Inc. 


THK     MAPX.B     I'HKSS     YOK] 


t^  ^• 


FOREWORD 

By  Howard  E.  Coffin 

Member,  Naval  Consulting  Board  of  the  United  States,  and  Chairman  of  its 
Committee  on  Industrial  Preparedness;  Member,  Advisory  Com- 
mission of  the  Council  of  National  Defence.    Vice- 
President,  Hudson  Motor  Car  Co. 

Our  vital  national  need  for  a  text-book  dealing  with  the  quantity 
manufacture  of  army  and  navy  materials  should  require  little  either  by 
way  of  explanation  or  comment.  Two  years  of  experience  on  orders  for 
foreign  governments  have  taught  our  American  manufacturers  that  the 
making  of  materials  of  modern  warfare  is  a  new  art.  It  is  an  art  with 
which  we  have  had  little  or  no  previous  experience  and  in  which  our 
workmen  are  unskilled. 

In  England,  a  little  over  two  years  ago  there  were  not  more  than 
three  government  arsenals.  Today  more  than  four  thousand  of  Eng- 
land's leading  industrial  plants  are  being  operated  as  government  factories 
for  the  production  of  war  materials,  and  many  other  thousands  of  factories 
still  under  private  control  are  concentrating  their  energies  in  the  same 
direction.  The  teaching  of  the  munition-making  art  to  these  thousands 
of  manufacturers  and  to  millions  of  industrial  workers,  both  men  and 
women,  has  called  for  a  work  in  industrial  organization  and  education 
such  as  the  world  has  never  before  seen.  In  France,  in  Germany,  in 
Italy,  in  Japan,  and  even  in  Russia,  this  same  education  and  organization 
of  the  industrial  forces  is  going  forward. 

We  have  here  in  the  United  States  vast  resources  in  manufacturing 
and  producing  equipment,  but  they  are  unorganized  and  uneducated  for 
the  national  service.  Our  observations  of  the  European  war  have  taught 
us  that  it  is  upon  organized  industry  that  we  must  base  any  and  every  plan 
of  military  defence,  and  that  in  the  event  of  trouble  with  any  one  of  the 
several  first-class  powers,  between  eighty  and  ninety  per  cent,  of  our 
industrial  activity  would,  of  necessity,  be  centered  upon  the  making  of 
supplies  for  the  government.  We  have  learned  also  that  from  one  to 
two  years  of  time  and  of  conscientious  effort  are  needed  to  permit  any 
large  manufacturing  establishment  to  change  over  from  its  usual  peace 
time  commercial  line  to  the  quantity-production  of  war  materials  for 
which  it  has  had  no  previous  training.     Delays  of  this  kind,  in  time  of 


349466 


vi  FOREWORD 

emergency,  cannot  but  result  in  closed  plants,  in  the  disruption  of  labor 
organizations  built  up  over  a  period  of  years,  in  a  loss  of  skilled  men 
through  enlistment  for  the  fighting  front,  and  in  those  same  chaotic 
conditions  which  wrought  near  disasters  to  several  of  the  nations  at  the 
outbreak  of  the  European  struggle. 

We  have  had  no  experience  in  the  kind  of  warfare  now  being  waged 
abroad,  and  yet  this  is  exactly  the  sort  of  thing  for  which  we  must  pre- 
pare, or  it  is  worse  than  useless  that  we  prepare  at  all.  Industrial  pre- 
paredness is  strictly  in  keeping  with  the  natural  tendencies  and  abilities 
of  our  people.  It  is  the  basic  and  at  the  same  time  the  cheapest  form  of 
preparedness.  We  have  already  the  investments  in  plants,  in  tools  and 
in  machinery,  and  more  important  still  are  our  resources  in  skilled  work- 
ers. But  it  is  only  through  the  most  careful  methods  of  organization  and 
education  that  we  may  make  all  these  resources  available  to  us  in  time  of 
emergency.  Each  manufacturing  plant  must  be  taught  in  time  of  peace 
to  make  that  particular  part  or  thing  for  which  its  equipment  is  best 
suited  and  for  which,  by  a  carefully  prepared  classification,  it  is  to  be 
held  accountable  in  time  of  war.  Annual  educational  orders,  of  such 
small  sizes  as  not  to  interfere  with  commercial  products,  must  be  delivered 
each  year  under  government  inspection.  There  exists  no  other  method 
of  harnessing  industry  in  the  defensive  service  of  this  government. 
Every  manufacturing  institution  in  the  country  carries  fire  insurance; 
for  the  future  it  must  demand  war  insurance  as  well. 

An  up-to-date  text-book,  dealing  with  munitions  work,  will  be  found 
indispensable  in  this  educational  campaign.  We  have  heard  much  of  the 
difiiculties  that  American  manufacturers  have  experienced  in  getting  out 
foreign  war  orders.  Months  of  experimentation,  argument  and  delay  have 
resulted  because  of  the  lack  of  proper  information  as  to  the  tools,  processes 
and  methods  involved  in  the  quantity-production  of  such  materials. 
Fortunately  for  us,  we  have  not  been  one  of  the  principals  involved  in  the 
European  struggle,  and  however  costly  failure  in  delivery  may  have  been 
to  individual  manufacturers,  it  has  not  produced  a  national  calamity. 

The  work  of  the  Naval  Consulting  Board  involves  three  steps:  First, 
an  inventory  of  the  country's  manufacturing  and  producing  resources;* 

•  Under  the  Committee  on  Industrial  Preparedness,  many  thousands  of  patriotic 
American  engineers  have  devoted  time  and  money  in  an  inventory  of  the  more 
than  thirty  thousand  manufacturing  institutions  in  this  country  doing  a  business  in 
excess  of  one  hundred  thousand  dollars  per  year. 

The  American  Society  of  Civil  Engineers,  the  American  Institute  of  Mining 
Engineers,  the  American  Society  of  Mechanical  Engineers,  the  American  Institute 
of  Electrical  Engineers,  and  the  American  Chemical  Society,  having  a  combined 
membership  of  more  than  thirty-five  thousand,  have  co-operated  in  this  work  through 
state  and  territorial  directorates  of  five  men  each.  These  directors,  two  hundred 
and  fifty  in  all,  have  served  at  the  request  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  as  associate 
members  of  the  Naval  Consulting  Board 


FOREWORD  vii 

second,  the  training  and  education  of  these  resources  for  a  national  service 
both  in  peace  and  in  war;  third,  the  enhstment  of  the  skilled  laborer  of 
the  country  in  an  industrial  reserve  which  shall  keep  the  trained  worker 
in  his  place  in  the  factory,  the  mill  or  the  mine,  and  prevent  his  loss 
through  enrollment  in  the  fighting  army.  It  is  in  the  second  step  in  this 
program,  that  the  text-book  of  munition  manufacture  will  prove  invalu- 
able. In  the  event  of  any  future  war  in  this  country,  the  munition 
industry  must  become  our  one  great  national  industry. 

The  work  accomplished  bj^  the  Committee  on  Industrial  Preparedness 
of  the  Naval  Consulting  Board,  has  now  been  turned  over  to  the 
newly  created  governmental  body,  known  as  the  Council  of  National 
Defence.  It  is  under  the  auspices  of  this  Council  that  the  education  and 
organization  of  our  resources  for  national  emergency  service  will  be  carried 
forward.  It  is  by  this  body  that  the  text-book  of  munition-making  will 
be  put  into  the  service  of  the  nation. 

Too  much  credit  for  this  vitally  important  work  cannot  be  given  to  Mr. 
L.  P.  Alford,  Editor-in-Chief  of  the  American  Machinist,  and  to  his  corps 
of  efficient  workers  who  have  cooperated  so  largely  with  the  Committee 
on  Industrial  Preparedness.  To  him  and  to  his  staff  is  due  the  patriotic 
initiative,  which  has  given  to  us  in  permanent  form  a  record  of  the  in- 
valuable experience  gained  by  our  manufacturers  in  the  filling  of  foreign 
munition  orders. 


The  personnel  of  the  Committee  on  Industrial  Preparedness,  which  created  and 
directed  this  nation-wide  patriotic  activity,  is  as  follows:  Howard  E.  Coffin, 
Chairman;  Wm.L.  Saunders,  Thomas  Robins,  Lawrence  Addicks,  W.  L.  Emmet, 
B.  G.  Lamme,  Benjamin  B.  Thayer. 


PREFACE 

''Manufacture  of  Artillery  Ammunition"  has  been  written  to  preserve 
in  permanent  form  a  record  of  some  of  the  great  work  done  in  United 
States  and  Canadian  machine  shops  in  producing  munitions  for  the  bel- 
ligerent nations  of  Europe.  Much,  though  not  all,  of  the  information  in 
its  four  sections  has  previously  appeared  in  the  American  Machinist.  All 
of  the  matter  has  been  especially  prepared  for  the  book  to  make  the  treat- 
ment uniform  and  consistent. 

Two  major  purposes  have  been  before  the  authors  in  writing  this 
record  of  one  of  the  sensational  periods  of  the  history  of  American  machine 
shops.  Never  before  have  modern  munitions  of  war  been  produced  on 
this  continent  in  large  quantities.  Never  before  have  our  machine  shops 
been  called  upon  to  turn  out  such  an  enormous  volume  of  new  products  in 
such  a  short  time.  A  record  should  be  preserved  of  this  work  to  aid 
Americans  in  producing  their  own  munitions  of  war  if  occasion  should 
ever  arise,  and  to  show  the  excellent  machining  methods,  machines,  tools 
and  appliances  that  have  a  much  wider  application  in  manufacturing 
than  merely  to  make  shells,  cartridge  cases  and  fuses.  Such  is  the  two- 
fold purpose  that  has  brought  this  book  into  being — to  aid  in  making 
munitions;  to  further  machine-shop  practice. 

The  material  naturally  divides  into  four  sections:  Shrapnel,  high- 
explosive  shells,  cartridge  cases  and  fuses.  In  each,  manufacturing 
methods  are  shown  on  a  variety  of  sizes.  The  range  for  shrapnel  is  from 
3  in.  to  12  in.;  for  explosive  shells  from  the  1-pounder  to  the  12  in.;  for 
cartridge  cases  from  the  1-pounder  to  the  4.5  in.;  while  the  fuse  section 
includes  combination  fuses,  detonators  and  primers.  Several  appendices 
contain  associate  information,  of  which  one  part  deals  with  machine  tools 
and  outlines  some  of  the  steps  that  might  be  taken  for  their  control  by  the 
United  States  authorities  in  the  emergency  of  war. 

One  of  the  important  features  of  the  book  is  the  giving  of  production 
data,  operation  by  operation,  for  each  kind  and  size  of  ammunition  whose 
manufacture  is  shown.  It  is  believed  that  no  other  book  has  ever  been 
written  in  any  branch  of  the  great  machine-shop  industry  that  gives  such 
complete  information  on  times  and  quantities  of  production. 

The  authors  are  glad  to  express  their  appreciation  of  the  kindness  of 
all  the  Canadian  and  United  States  manufacturers  who  opened  their 
plants  and  made  the  collection  of  material  possible.  They  also  acknowl- 
edge their  indebtedness  to  a  few  contributors  to  the  American  Machinist, 
whose  articles  have  been  incorporated  in  the  book.     And,  finally,  much 


X  PREFACE 

credit  for  whatever  excellence  of  presentation  the  book  may  possess  is  due 
to  Mr.  Reginald  Trautschold.  It  was  his  industry  that  shaped  the  pre- 
viously published  material,  collected  additional  information,  and  fitted 
all  together  into  a  consistent  whole. 

The  Authors. 
New  York  Citt. 
January,  1917. 


CONTENTS 

Page 
Foreword v 


Preface 


SECTION  I 
Shrapnel 

Chapter 

I.  What  a  Shrapnel  Is  and  Does — The  French  75-mm.  Shrapnel 3 

II.  Forging  the  Blanks  for  18-Lb.  British  Shrapnel — Forging  3.3  Shrapnel 
Blanks  on  Steam  Hammers  and  Bulldozers 8 

III.  Making  the  18-Lb.  British  Shrapnel— The  Double-Spindle  Flat  Turret 
and  the  18-Lb.  British  Shrapnel 31 

IV.  The  Powder  Cups  for  18-Lb.  British  Shrapnel — Punching  Steel  Disks  for 
British  Shrapnel  Shells — The  Manufacture  of  18-Lb.  Shrapnel  Shell 
Sockets  and  Plugs — From  Birch  Log  to  Fuse  Plug 66 

V.  Three   Inch    Russian   Shrapnel — Making   3-In.    Russian   Shrapnel  in   a 

Pump  Shop 83 

VI.  Manufacturing  12-In.  Russian  Shrapnel 146 

VII.  Making  Shells  with  Regular  Shop  Equipment — Manufacturing  Shrapnel 
Parts  on  Automatic  Machines — Automatic  Production  of  Shrapnel  Parts — 
A  Bridge  Shop  Transformed  into  an  Arsenal 183 

SECTION  II 
High-Explosive  Shells 

I.  What  a  High-Explosive  Shell  Is  and  Does — Explosives  Used  with  High- 
Explosive  Shells — Steel  for  High-Explosive  Shells 231 

II.  Casting  Steel  Forging  Blanks  for  4.5-In.  Explosive  Shells — Forging  the 
Blanks  for  4.5-In.  High-Explosive  Shells — Forging  Base-Plates  for  High- 
Explosive  Shells    236 

III.  Manufacturing  British  18-Pounder  High-Explosive  Shells 251 

IV.  Manufacturing  British  4.5-In.  High-Explosive  Shells 312 

V.  Manufacturing  British  8-In.  High-Explosive  Shells 366 

VI.  Operations  on  the  British  9.2-In.  Mark  IX  Howitzer  Shell 389 

VII.  Operations  on  the  British  12-In.  Mark  IV  Howitzer  Shell 399 

VIII.  Manufacturing  the  Russian  1-Lb.  High-Explosive  Shell 412 

IX.  Manufacturing  Russian  3-In.  High-Explosive  Shells 442 

X.  Manufacturing  120-Millimeter  Serbian  Shells 460 

XL  Manufacturing  French  120-Millimeter  Explosive  Shells 494 

SECTION  III 

Cartridge  Cases 

I.  Manufacture  of  Cartridge  Brass — Rolling  Cartridge  Brass 517 

11.  Making  1-Lb.  Cartridge  Cases 536 


xii  CONTENTS 

Chapter  Page 

III.  Making  the  18-Lb.  Cartridge  Case— Drawing  18-Lb.  Cartridge  Cases  on 
Bulldozers  and  Frog  Planers — Cartridge  Heading  Presses  and  Accumula- 
tors at  the  Angus  Shops 555 

IV.  Making  the  4.5-In.  Howitzer  Cartridge  Case 595 

SECTION  IV 
Fuses  and  Primers 

I.  The  Detonator  Fuse — Making  the  British  Detonator  Mark-100 — Making 

Adapters  for  British  Detonator  Fuse 623 

II.  Making  the  British  Time  Fuse  Mark  80-44 — Caps  and  Base  Plugs  for 
Time  Fuse — Making  the  Small  Parts  of  the  British  Time  Fuse     ....   660 
III.  Making  Primers  for  Cartridge  Cases — ^Loading  the  Primers 705 

APPENDIX 

Machine  Tools  for  Munition  Manufacture — Composition  and  Properties  of 
Shell  Steel — ^Light  Shells — Details  of  Some  Shrapnels — Details  of  Some 
High-Explosive  Shells — British  Requirements  for  Projectile  Inspection — 
British  Prices  for  Hand  Painting  Shells — Diameter  of  British  Shells  Over 
Paint — Weights  and  Dimensions  of  Some  British  Shells — Temperatures 
and  Duration  of  Heat  Treatment  for  British  Shells 729 

Index 761 


SECTION  I 
SHRAPNEL 

By 
JOHN  H.  VAN  DEVENTER 

Page 
CHAPTER  I.      What  a  Shrapnel  Is  and  Does 3 

CHAPTER  II.    Forging  Shrapnel  Blanks 8 

CHAPTER  III.  Making  the  18-Lb.  British  Shrapnel 31 

CHAPTER  IV.  Powder  Cups,  Disks,  Sockets  and  Plugs  for  18-Lb.  British 

Shrapnel 66 

CHAPTER  V.     Making  3-In.  Russian  Shrapnel. 83 

CHAPTER  VI.  Manufacturing  12-In.  Russian  Shrapnel 146 

CHAPTER  VII.  Making  Shells  with  Regular  Shop  Equipment 183 


MANUFACTURE  OF 
ARTILLERY   AMMUNITION 

CHAPTER  1 

WHAT   A   SHRAPNEL  IS   AND   DOES^— THE  FRENCH   75-MM. 

SHRAPNEL 

Shrapnel,  because  its  explosion  may  be  timed  to  a  nicety,  its  rain  of 
shot  scattered  at  just  the  right  instant,  has  proved  one  of  the  most 
effective  tools  of  destruction  in  modern  trench  storming  and  defence. 
The  shells  of  the  various  nations  vary  somewhat  in  shape  and  propor- 
tions, but  their  general  construction  is  quite  similar. 

Fig.  1  shows  a  shrapnel  shell  casing  such  as  has  been  extensively 
used  in  the  great  European  war.  These  shells  are  manufactured  in 
sizes  from  2  to  15  inches  in  diameter. 

The  brass  shell  A  that  envelops  the  outside  of  the  shrapnel  casing  is 
filled  with  powder,  which  is  carefully  measured  to  have  the  exact  amount 
in  each  shell.  This  powder  is  ignited  similarly  to  a  cartridge  in  a  gun 
and  is  intended  to  discharge  the  shell  from  the  gun. 

At  B  is  a  powder  pocket  which  contains  the  necessary  amount  of 
powder  to  explode  the  casing  and  scatter  the  charge. 

A  copper  band,  which  is  shrunk  and  also  hydraulically  pressed  over 
the  body  of  the  shell,  is  shown  at  C.  The  outside  diameter  is  turned 
somewhat  larger  than  the  gun  bore,  which  is  rifled  or  grooved  in  a  spiral 
through  its  entire  length. 

When  the  shell  is  placed  in  the  gun,  the  breech  end  admits  it  freely, 
but  the  gun  bore  being  somewhat  smaller  and  the  copper  being  soft 
material,  it  is  compressed  and  a  portion  of  the  copper  ring  sinks  into 
these  spiral  grooves.  Thus,  when  a  shell  is  fired  it  has  a  rotary  motion 
corresponding  to  the  spiral  of  the  gun,  which  means  that  the  shrapnel 
is  revolving  at  the  same  time  it  is  traveling  longitudinally.  The  rotary 
motion  is  so  rapid  that  it  keeps  the  shrapnel  in  practically  a  straight  line 
laterally  in  its  flight.  If  the  gun  did  not  have  spiral  grooves,  when  the 
shrapnel  started  to  travel  it  would  swerve  against  the  resistance  of  the 
air,  which  would  make  it  impossible  to  determine  in  what  position  it 
would  explode.  In  other  words,  a  smooth-bored  gun  and  a  smooth- 
surface  shrapnel  could  not  be  depended  upon  for  accuracy,  and  no  scien- 
tific calculations  could  be  made  whereby  shrapnel  fired  one  after  another 
would  land  in  about  the  same  place. 

^  J.  P.  Brophy,  Vice-President  and  General  Manager,  Cleveland  Automatic 
Machine  Co. 

3 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


From  this  explanation  it  will  be 
understood  that  the  piece  C  is  an 
important  part  of  the  shrapnel. 

Details  of  Design. — A  steel 
washer,  which  is  pressed  in  position, 
is  shown  at  D  separating  the  powder 
pocket  from  the  chamber  of  the 
shrapnel  proper.  This  is  commonly- 
called  ''the  diaphragm." 

A  copper  tube  connecting  the 
powder  pocket  B  with  the  fuse  body 
H  is  shown  at  F.  This  contains  an 
igniting  charge  of  gun  cotton  E  at 
either  end. 

The  shell  casing  is  shown  at  G, 
the  fuse  body  at  H  and  a  powder 
passage  /  is  shown  at  an  angle  con- 
necting with  the  gun  cotton. 

Ttie  threaded  connection  between 
fuse  and  shrapnel  bodies  at  I  is  of 
fine  pitch,  so  that  when  the  powder 
is  ignited  at  B  the  threads  strip, 
allowing  the  balls  to  be  discharged. 
After  the  powder  is  ignited,  if  the 
pressure  is  not  great  enough  to  de- 
stroy the  thread,  the  shell  casing 
will  burst  at  the  end,  which  is  its 
weakest  point,  and  open  up  in 
umbrella  shape,  the  balls  and  body 
of  the  shell  being  driven  with  great 
force  in  all  directions  similar  to  the 
explosion  of  a  skyrocket.  This  is 
very  destructive  within  a  radius  of  60 
ft.  from  where  the  explosion  occurs. 

The  Timing  Device. — The  time 
ring,  graduated  on  its  periphery,  is 
shown  at  K.  This  controls  the  time 
of  igniting  the  fuse  J.  When  the 
time  ring  is  set  to  zero  the  shell  ex- 
plodes just  after  it  leaves  the  muz- 
zle. The  graduations  indicate  the 
explosion  time  at  practically  any 
number  of  feet  desired  up  to  the  full  range  of  the  gun.  On  the  inside 
of  the  graduated  ring  K  a  small  opening  is  milled  for  about  three- 


Chap.  I]  WHAT  A  SHRAPNEL  IS  AND  DOES  5 

fourths  of  a  circle,  so  that  the  fuse  cannot  burn  all  way  around.  In  this 
small  opening  the  time  fuse  is  placed,  and  at  the  bottom  of  the  ring 
are  small  holes. 

A  loose  piece  N  moves  freely  and  carries  at  0  an  ignitible  and  highly 
explosive  substance,  which  is  so  sensitive  that  if  one  drop  were  struck 
with  a  lead  pencil  held  in  the  hand,  it  would  shatter  the  end  of  the  pencil 
before  it  could  be  withdrawn. 

When  the  gun  is  in  position,  the  range  finder  immediately  estimates 
the  distance  to  the  enemy,  and  this  information  is  given  the  gunners. 
The  ring  K  is  moved  to  the  position  which  indicates  the  number  of  yards 
the  shrapnel  will  travel  after  leaving  the  gun  before  it  explodes.  This 
is  all  taken  care  of  in  a  few  moments.  The  fuse  on  the  inside  of  ring  K, 
when  ignited,  burns  in  the  direction  that  leads  to  the  powder  passage  J, 
and  the  time  taken  to  reach  this  determines  the  distance  that  the  shrapnel 
will  travel  before  exploding. 

When  the  powder  at  J  commences  to  burn,  it  ignites  the  gun  cotton 
at  E,  and  the  flame  passes  through  the  tube  F  to  the  gun  cotton  at  the 
opposite  end,  igniting  the  powder  at  B.  The  time  taken  by  the  flame 
to  travel  from  J  to  5  is  difficult  to  estimate  because  of  its  rapidity,  but 
may  be  compared  to  the  speed  of  electric  current. 

How  the  Fuse  is  Ignited. — A  piece  called  a  "free-moving  slug"  is 
shown  at  P.  The  moment  the  gun  is  fired,  the  shrapnel  travels  with 
such  great  rapidity  that  it  causes  this  moving  slug  to  rebound  and  come 
in  contact  with  0.  The  ignitible  substance  at  0  creates  a  flash,  which 
burns  back  and  around  the  chamber  to  the  powder  L,  which  leads  to  the 
fuse  embedded  in  the  face  of  the  graduated  ring  K.  The  time,  reckoned 
in  fractions  of  seconds,  that  it  takes  to  burn  the  fuse  in  the  ring  K  before 
it  reaches  the  powder  J  is  calculated  according  to  the  distance  the  shell 
travels  in  flight  before  the  charge  is  to  be  ignited  at  B. 

If  the  shrapnel  fails  to  explode  at  the  correct  distance  because  of  the 
slug  P  not  responding,  then  at  the  moment  it  comes  in  contact  with 
anything  in  its  path  the  sudden  impact  will  carry  forward  the  loose 
piece  N,  which  is  free  to  oscillate.  This  will  mean  a  contact  of  the  igniti- 
ble substance  at  0  with  the  piece  P.  Ignition  immediately  takes  place, 
and  as  piece  N  is  in  the  forward  position,  the  flame  will  travel  in  the 
direction  of  M.  This  action  reverses  the  direction  of  the  flash,  as 
already  explained.  This  means  direct  ignition  through  the  powder 
passage  M  to  the  powder  pocket  B  at  lightning  speed.  The  con- 
sequence is  an  instantaneous  explosion  of  the  sheU  at  the  moment  it 
comes  in  contact  with  any  object  in  its  path,  and  extreme  destruction 
at  this  point. 

Refinements  of  Destruction. — The  outside  shape  of  the  fuse  body  0 
is  such  as  to  offer  the  least  resistance;  in  other  words,  it  breaks  up  the 
air  as  it  bores  its  way  through.     If  this  nose  were  longer  or  shorter. 


6 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


or  a  different  shape,  it  would  offer  greater  resistance,  which  would  lessen 

both  its  speed  and  its  range. 

The  muzzle  velocity  of  the  3-in.  shrapnel  shell,  which  is  being  used  so 

extensively  abroad,  varies  from 
1,500  to  1,900  ft.  per  sec.  during 
the  first  second  of  flight,  and 
because  of  the  air  resistance, 
diminishes  in  speed  gradually 
through  the  remaining  distance 
that  it  travels.  The  maximum 
effective  range  is  about  6,000 
yd.,  and  as  the  time  fuse  can  be 
set  to  explode  at  100  yd.  or  less, 
and  at  any  point  up  to  6,000 
yd.,  the  time  it  would  take  to 
travel  100  yd.  would  be  about 
one-sixth  second. 

The  balls  are  placed  in  the 
position  shown  and  a  special 
wax  is  melted  and  poured  around 
them  so  that  they  are  practically 
a  solid  mass.  The  destruction 
which  takes  place  when  these 
balls,  traveling  at  great  velocity, 
spread  in  the  midst  of  hundreds 
of  human  beings  can  easily  be 
imagined. 

The  French  75-mm.  Shrap- 
nel.— The  shrapnel  used  in  the 
celebrated  75-mm.  French  field 
guns  differs  in  certain  details 
from  the  shrapnel  used  by  the 
British  and  American  armies. 
No  powder  cap  is  used  (see 
Fig.  2)  and  a  nose  containing 
balls  is  fitted  in  place  of  the 
timer.  The  fuse  is  screwed  into 
this  nose,  the  thread  to  receive 
it  being  shown  in  the  illustra- 
tion. A  feature  of  this  loaded 
nose  is  the  wooden  holder  that 

carries  the  lead  balls.     These  are  composed  of  90  parts  lead  and  10  parts 

antimony. 

The  space  for  the  powder  charge  in  the  base  of  the  shell  is  varnished  on 


Chap.  I]  WHAT  A  SHRAPNEL  IS  AND  DOES  7 

all  surfaces  with  a  varnish  composed  of  200  grams  of  gum  arable  cut  in 
one  liter  of  alcohol.  This  coating  is  also  applied  to  the  lower  surfaces 
of  the  lower  steel  diaphragm.  This  diaphragm  is  seated  in  a  packing  of 
rubber  to  make  a  sealed  joint. 

Another  point  of  difference  between  the  British  and  French  construc- 
tion is  the  method  of  keying  the  copper  band.  The  British  design  calls 
for  cutting  a  series  of  waves  or  drunken  threads,  around  which  the  dead 
soft  copper  band  is  swaged.  The  French  construction  merely  cuts  a 
series  of  V-grooves  into  which  the  band  is  compressed. 


CHAPTER  II 

FORGING   THE   BLANKS   FOR    18-LB.    BRITISH    SHRAPNELS- 
FORGING    3.3    SHRAPNEL   BLANKS    ON    STEAM 
HAMMERS  AND  BULLDOZERS^ 

The  Montreal  Locomotive  Co.,  Montreal,  Canada,  when  confronteb 
with  the  task  of  forging  shell  blanks  for  18-lb.  British  shrapnel  put  e very- 
piece  of  equipment  to  work  and  in  a  remarkably  short  time  were  able  to 
turn  out  an  average  of  3,000  completed  blanks  every  24  hr.  These 
blanks  were  forged  from  0.50  carbon  steel  and  the  allowable  error  on 
surfaces  not  subsequently  machined  was  only  0.01  in.  The  bar  stock 
steel  blocks  were  heated  and  in  only  two  operations  squirted  and  drawn 
into  shrapnel  blanks.  This  record  was  maintained  for  months,  not- 
withstanding the  rigid  inspection  and  tests  demanded  by  the  British 
Government,  and  a  detailed  description  of  the  processes  in  vogue  in  the 
shops  of  the  Montreal  Locomotive  Co.  is  one  of  a  standard  of  efficiency 
in  manufacture. 

The  steel  for  the  forgings  come  in  commercial  bars,  10  to  12  ft.  in 
length,  the  specifications  for  which  call  for  0.45  to  0.55  carbon,  0.70  man- 
ganese and  less  than  0.04  sulphur  and  phosphorus.  These  bars  are 
stamped  by  the  steel  mill  to  indicate  the  "melt'^  from  which  they  were 
made  and  test  pieces  from  each  "melf  are  analyzed  and  broken  by  the 
Canadian  Inspection  Co.  Three  bars  are  then  selected  from  each  ''  melt " 
by  the  Montreal  Locomotive  Co.^s  chemist  and  two  pieces  cut  from  each 
bar,  one  of  which  is  again  analyzed  and  the  other  made  into  a  ''test" 
shell  and  given  the  heat  treatment.  The  "test"  shells  are  then  care- 
fully tested  for  tensile  strength,  etc.,  and  if  satisfactory  in  all  respects 
the  rest  of  the  bars  from  the  "melt"  are  cut  to  the  standard  length  for 
shell-forging  blanks,  the  blanks  from  each  "melt"  being  kept  together 
throughout  manufacture. 

Cutting  the  Bars. — Four  methods  of  cutting  the  commercial  bars  into 
standard  4%-in.  lengths  for  the  shell  blanks  were  employed,  which  are 
of  interest  as  examples  of  rapid  and  accurate  production.  Fig.  3  shows 
a  large  Gorton  cold-saw  cutting  four  blanks  at  a  pass.  The  bars  A  are 
held  between  the  soft-wood  clamps  B,  which  are  shaped  to  bring  the 
bars  to  the  same  circle  as  the  saw,  thus  reducing  the  travel  and  time  of 
cutting  to  a  minimum.  Hardwood  was  tried  at  first,  but  did  not  grip 
the  bars  securely.     On  this  machine  250  blanks  can  be  cut  in  10  hr. 

1  E.  A.  Suverkrop,  Associate  Editor,  American  Machinist. 

8 


Chap.  II] 


FORGING  THE  BLANKS  FOR  SHRAPNEL 


9 


The  clamps  to  the  extreme  right  are  not  loosened  until  the  bars  are  too 
short  to  handle  in  the  saw,  thus  avoiding  a  lot  of  unnecessary  adjusting 
of  the  individual  bars. 


FIG.    3.       CUTTING    BLANKS    ON    A    GORTON    COLD-SAW 


FIG.    4.       NEWTON    COLD-SAW 


In  Fig.  4  is  shown  a  Newton  saw  on  the  same  work.     This  saw  has 
a  capacity  of  190  blanks  in  10  hr.     The  stop  A  was  at  first  secured  to  a 


10 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


bracket  attached  to  C.  When  thus  attached,  its  position  with  regard 
to  the  work  was  stationary  and  trouble  was  encountered  with  the  nearly 
severed  blank  jamming  between  the  stop  and  the  saw  and  breaking  out 
the  teeth.  With  the  bracket  B  secured  as  shown  to  the  saw  housing, 
the  stop  A  is  in  contact  with  the  end  of  the  bar  only  when  the  saw  is  out 
of  contact  with  the  work.  During  the  cut  it  is  entirely  out  of  contact, 
and  at  completion  of  the  cut  the  blank  is  free  to  drop  clear  of  saw  and 
stop. 

In  Fig.  5  is  shown  a  turret  lathe  used  for  cutting  blanks.     On  the 
machine  shown  256  blanks  can  be  cut  in  10  hr. 


FIG.  5.   CUTTING  BLANKS  ON  TUERET 


In  Fig.  6  is  shown  the  cutting  of  blanks  on  a  large  planer.  The  bars 
are  held  down  by  ordinary  strap  clamps  and  spacers  are  placed  between 
them.  Special  holding  devices  for  tools  and  work  are  in  course  of  con- 
struction, whereby  the  output  by  this  method  will  be  from  400  to  600 
blanks  per  day.  Two  tools  are  used  in  each  head.  The  outer  tools  on 
each  side  are  about  %  in.  in  advance  of  the  inner  tools  so  as  to  leave 
enough  metal  to  resist  the  bending  stresses.  With  all  these  methods 
ordinary  cutting  compound  is  used  as  a  lubricant. 

Removing  the  Burr.— A  burr  is  left  on  all  blanks  except  those  which 
are  cut  while  the  bar  rotates.  This  must  be  removed.  The  removal 
is  a  simple  job  with  a  pneumatic  chisel,  but  the  method  of  holding  the 
work  is  worth  showing.  The  machine  steel  block  A,  Fig.  7,  secured  to 
the  bench  is  about  3J'^  in.  high,  6  in.  wide  and  20  in.  long,  and  weighs 
about  100  lb.  The  blank  B  is  gripped  by  a  %-in.  setscrew  operated  by  a 
long  crank  handle  C.     The  inertia  of  this  heavy  block  steadies  the  work 


Cabp.  II] 


FORGING  THE  BLANKS  FOR  SHRAPNEL 


11 


^I^SSSSSSSSSmL  mmmm 

1  '   ^^P 

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,|M)^^^^kB 

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r    m'^ 

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s 

r        ^^     !         Aii«Ate::a.Mi 

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^^^^^P^^^^H^B^^^ERfaV  M   '^^v  1  HBh^^  i^^l 

<J 

^^^^Hl^^^^B^B^^^RWcVvvL  Is  1  l^^^^H^^^^H 

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^^^H^^hI^HvmHi  wI^^I^S^h 

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i^^^^^^HH^^mSn^f  ^R^^m^l 

» 

^^^^^^^^^^^K  ^n^^^BHKMCs     Wfmk  ^^^^^^^^^1 

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^^^^^^^■h^HGno^    IM^^^^^^B 

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H    ...»^B«aB^B^f^^ul^^^^^l 

iz; 

^BMMflEliB  ^BUffMr  if'  1  ^^^^^^1 

o 

-.  ■f  ^^^mms\ 

S 

1 

■*•         '¥M^ 

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mm  .     .    1      'Mim^W 

^ 

- 

^-m^mm}^mm 

^flHiHP  ''3M!^ 

i 

^■IIKr^flH 

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^^HH  n  WB^i  M  ^^^^H 

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12 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


and  makes  cutting  an  easy  matter.     The  crank  handle  is  quickly  operated. 
One  operator  can  easily  remove  the  burrs  from  all  the  blanks. 

Forging. — Forging  was  undertaken  on  a  large  flanging  press,  on  a 


FIG.    7.       KEMOVING   BURRS 


\omo.89Hs 


f^.^^r«?f<-//->h-/^--H 


9.65  H 
-9.60"l- 


0575^W 


L 

i 

§^ 


►5   Og 


m//////////////^^^^ 


6.94- 


'M-L 


FIG.    8.       SHRAPNEL    SHELL 

(Dimensions  in  Inches) 
(1)  Dimensions  ''A."  "B"  and  ''C"  are  the  finished  internal  sizes  of  shell.  (2) 
At  "D"  this  dimension  allows  material  for  machining  equal  to  0.05  in.  per  side. 
(3)  The  material  on  inside  wall  allowed  for  machining  from  ''C"  to  "D"  tapers 
from  0.0  to  0.05  in.  per  side.  (4)  At  the  shoulder  ''E"  on  which  disk  rests  material 
0.1  in.  is  allowed  for  machining.  (5)  At  "F"  material  is  allowed  for  machining  equal 
to  0.05  in.  per  side.  (6)  At  "G"  material  is  allowed  for  machining  equal  to  0.05  in. 
Care  must  be  taken  to  remove  all  scale  from  this  part.  (7)  Face  "  H"  to  be  machined 
by  forging  manufacturers.  (8)  Projection  "J"  to  be  left  as  shown  on  base  unless 
otherwise  specified  when  forgings  are  ordered.  (9^  Face  "K"  to  be  machined  by- 
forging  manufacturers  to  dimensions  given.  (10)  Dimension  '*L"  allows  for  machin- 
ing, but  this  should  not  exceed  3.55  or  3.50  in.  (11)  Inside  finish  of  forgings  from 
mouth  of  shell  at  face  ''K"  to  dimension  "C"  to  be  smooth  and  free  from  scale, 
projections,  irregularities  and  other  blemishes.     The  body  must  also  be  straight. 

bulldozer  and  on  drop  presses  and  it  is  of  interest  to  note  that  the  dimen- 
sions and  limits  shown  on  Fig.  8  were  maintained  by  workmen  who  had 
previously  forged  only  locomotive  frames  and  had  never  before  been  called 


Chap.  II] 


FORGING  THE  BLANKS  FOR  SHRAPNEL 


13 


upon  to  work  to  hundredths  of  an  inch.  The  metal  was  worked  hot 
which  further  compHcated  matters  by  necessitating  allowances  for 
shrinkage,  and  finally  both  the  shop  and  the  Government  inspectors 
rejected  any  work  which  did  not  rigidly  meet  specifications. 

First  Forging  Operation. — The  cut-off  blanks  are  charged  into  ordinary 
reverberatory  furnaces,  of  which  there  are  two  for  each  press.  The 
furnaces  are  fired  with  oil  at  25-lb.  pressure  and  air  at  7  oz.  Each  press 
is  equipped  with  two  sets  of  punches  and  dies,  as  shown  in  Fig.  9.  The 
punches  are  made  of  0.70  carbon  steel,  finished  all  over  and  hardened  but 


^ ^       '.T'''''y^~5"Jf^  iiZZ^.'nt^       MaferialSfeel  Carbon  70%  or  over 

I  u.s.Sf'd.        Y""~"\^        I  r      ^'^  T    ^/y?.  finish  all  over 


4  Threads 
per  inch 


1 

^ 

^4|'a- 

>Jt 

0 

I: 

eli  J 

1 

A 

.1 

A 

-      L, 

^ 

¥ 

1 

^H'o^l 

i 

\  ^'T 

Die  for  1^  Operation 
on  Drop- Hammer 


FIG.    9^ 


Dies  for  Z^-  Opercition 
on  Drop- Hammer 
Punch  and  Die  for 
Piercing  Operation 

PUNCHES    AND    DIES    FOR   FIRST    FORGING    OPERATION   ON   PRESSES   AND   DROP 

HAMMERS 


not  drawn.  The  dies  are  made  of  0.70  carbon  steel  or  chilled  iron.  It 
has  been  found  that  new  punches  and  dies  have  a  tendency  to  stick  to 
the  work  unless  they  are  first  heated. 

The  work  of  adapting  the  large  flanging  press  and  bulldozer  to  shell 
forging  was  taken  care  of  by  Robert  Allison,  works  engineer,  and  while 
these  two  machines  are  now  employed  for  the  second  operation,  a  descrip- 
tion of  the  fixtures  applied  to  them  will  not  be  out  of  place.  In  Fig. 
10  is  shown  the  fixture  for  the  flanging  press.  With  the  exception  of 
the  punches  and  dies,  which  are  for  the  second,  or  drawing,  operation  on 
the  shell  blanks,  the  fixture  is  the  same  as  used  for  the  first  operation. 

The  flanging  press  is  155  tons  capacity  with  a  stroke  of  30  in.  It  was 
found  that  to  assure  proper  stripping  a  pull-back  of  25  tons  per  forging  is 
necessary.  For  that  reason  the  pull-back  on  the  press  was  increased  to 
55  tons. 

Equipment  for  Flanging  Press. — The  flange  G  is  bolted  to  the  upper 
platen.     The  distance-piece  D  connects  with  the  original  ram  to  bring 


14 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


the  tools  to  handy  working  height.     The  two  punches  B  are  secured  in 
the  head  as  shown.     A  swinging  stop  operated  by  the  handle  C  is  dis- 


FIG.    10.      EQUIPMENT  SHOWN  FOR  SECOND  OR  DRAWING  OPERATION 

posed  on  each  side  of  the  press.     In  the  plan  view  to  the  right  the  stop 
E  is  shown  swung  out  of  the  way,  while  to  the  left  it  is  in  operating  posi- 


Chap.  II] 


FORGING  THE  BLANKS  FOR  SHRAPNEL 


15 


tion.     The  swinging  stop  is  used  only  when  the  second  operation  is  in 
progress.     At  F  are  the  guides  for  the  punch  head;  at  H  are  the  seats  for 


^•-w, 


the  dies  for  both  first  and  second  operations;  at  7  is  a  cored  opening  for 
the  removal  of  the  work  on  completion  of  the  second  operation. 


16  SHRAPNEL  [Sec.  I 

When  the  blanks  have  attained  the  proper  temperature,  a  press  feeder 
at  each  furnace  removes  one  with  a  pair  of  tongs  and,  swinging  it  over 
his  head,  brings  it  down  end-on  against  an  iron  block  to  jar  off  as  much 
of  the  scale  as  possible.  Two  men  with  the  scrapers  A,  Fig.  11,  and 
brooms  then  rapidly  remove  the  rest  of  the  scale  and  the  feeders  place 
the  blanks  in  the  dies.  They  then  drop  their  tongs  and  take  the  guide 
B,  Fig.  11,  and  lay  it  on  top  of  the  hot  blank.  The  3J^-in.  recess  is 
downward,  surrounding  the  hot  blank  and  centering  it.  The  punch  then 
descends,  enters  the  3J^2-in.  opening  on  top,  centers  the  guide  and  work 
with  relation  to  itself  and,  passing  on  down,  causes  the  hot  metal  to 
squirt  upward  around  the  punch.  The  press  is  then  reversed  and  the 
punch  ascends,  bringing  with  it  the  forging,  which  is  now  about  73'^  in. 
long.  Occasionally  a  forging  will  seize;  then  the  punch  is  unscrewed  and 
a  new  one  inserted,  which  takes  but  a  few  minutes.  When  things  are 
running  right,  the  press  will  turn  out  1,000  first-operation  cups  in  10  hr. 
At  C  in  Fig.  11  is  shown  the  blowpipe  for  removing  scale  from  the  dies 
in  the  first  operation  and  at  D  the  one  for  removing  scale  from  the  dies 
in  the  second  operation.  At  E  is  shown  the  spray  for  cooling  the  punches 
in  the  second  operation  when  they  get  too  hot.  The  length  of  service 
of  a  punch  or  die  depends  upon  many  variables;  it  is,  however,  not 
uncommon  for  a  die  to  last  24  hr. 

As  the  requirements  for  the  insides  of  the  shells  are  more  exacting, 
there  being  no  machining  inside  except  at  the  bottom,  the  punches 
under  normal  conditions  require  to  be  replaced  more  often  than  the  dies, 
averaging  4  to  5  per  day. 

The  gage  H,  Fig.  11,  is  used  in  inspecting  the  finished  forging.  The 
short  leg  goes  on  the  inside  of  the  shell,  the  difference  between  the  length 
of  the  legs  indicating  the  proper  base  thickness. 

Special  Fixtures  for  First  Forging  Operation. — Special  fixtures  designed 
by  Mr.  Allison  to  secure  accuracy  and  high  production  on  a  special 
R.  D.  Wood  &  Co.  press  are  illustrated  in  Fig.  12,  the  operation  of  which 
is  as  follows: 

The  plates  B  (in  connection  with  the  guide  and  stripping  tool  B, 
Fig.  11)  strip  the  work  from  the  punches  A.  The  dies.  Fig.  9,  are  seated 
at  C.  The  knock-out  D  is  operated  by  the  frame  E  hung  from  the  ram 
by  chains  in  the  eye-bolts,  which  it  will  be  noted  hang  at  a  slight  angle. 
The  knock-out  D  is  simply  a  rivet  which  is  actuated  by  the  frame  E. 
In  the  position  shown,  the  bottom  of  the  knock-out  D  enters  a  hole  in  the 
frame  member  E  and  the  top  of  D  comes  flush  with  the  bottom  of  the 
die.  As  the  punch  A  descends,  frame  E  also  descends  and  on  clearing 
the  end  of  the  knock-out  D  swings  by  gravity  to  such  position  that  when 
the  punch  and  frame  again  ascend,  the  bottom  of  D  is  struck  and  the 
work  ejected  from  the  die  C.  After  the  removal  of  the  work,  the  operator 
pushes  frame  E  in  the  direction  of  the  arrow  until  the  stop  H  strikes  the 


Chap.  II] 


FORGING  THE  BLANKS  FOR  SHRAPNEL 


17 


frame  of  the  press,  when  the  knock-out  D  again  drops  into  the  pocket  of 
frame  E  and  the  die  C  is  ready  to  receive  another  blank. 

In  construction,  the  two  stops  I  are  simple  and  efficient,  but  under 
the  repeated  poundings,  the  punches  and  the  stops  are  gradually  upset 
so  that  adjustments  must  be  made  from  time  to  time.     Adjustment  is 

P  ^  K-7'><  M  Deep  \^Lengih  to  suit  Press ->\<-4->\ 


CM 


/ 


li'- 


i 


1 
%  I 


-^ 


FINISH  ALL  OVER  (STEEl) 

T 


■t^--«'--^,.v.' d 


FINISH  all  OVER 


J 

t^  (steel) 


=i_ 


rs' 


L 


Fixed  Post  f /on 
of  Press 


P/f-  BLOCK 


Brass  Washer  placed  bef ween 
Sefscretv  and  Punch  Threads 


W7^ "  I 

TT    iChain^i  K 


Washers  for  \       J 
adjusting —  ' 
Travel  of 
Press 


Y Y- 

^    Eye  Bolf 


FIG.    12.       SHELL-PIERCING   DETALS 


secured  in  the  following  simple  manner:  On  top  of  each  post-stop  / 
is  an  inverted  cup  J  supported  by  thin  sheet-steel  shimes,  one  or  more 
of  which  can  be  removed  or  inserted  to  readjust  the  length  of  stroke. 

Second  Forging  Operation. — A  bulldozer  is  chiefly  employed  for  the 
second-operation  work.  This  machine,  see  Fig.  13,  has  accommodation 
for  the  three  punches  and  dies  shown  in  Fig.  14. 


18 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


The  work  goes  through  one  die  at  a  time,  passing  in  succession  through 
the  three  dies  mounted  in  the  consecutive  seats  B  in  the  fixture  A,  Fig. 
13.  The  bottom  of  the  shell  is  formed  at  the  end  of  the  stroke  between 
the  punch  end  and  a  bottoming  die  located  at  C.     It  will  be  noted  that 


T 
% 


¥■ 


i/k- 


-H/K- 


y 


m 


r-'^'pfM 


4: 


,;/^- 


....:^p 


hh 


k;^<?/-> 


azDmamo] 


the  punches  have  a  head  instead  of  a  thread  to  hold  them  in.  A  J^-in. 
setscrew  D  on  top  prevents  the  dies  falling  out.  The  cups  from  the  first 
operation  being  hot,  the  operator  takes  them  one  at  a  time  and  holds 
them  with  the  base  toward  the  die.     The  bulldozer  is  tripped  and  the 


Chap.  II] 


FORGING  THE  BLANKS  FOR  SHRAPNEL 


19 


advancing  punch  enters  the  hole  in  the  work,  pushing  it  through  the  die 
and  against  the  bottoming  die  C.  By  this  time  the  operator  standing 
on  top  of  the  fixture  A  has  had  time  to  replace  his  tongs  with  a  hand 
stripper  which  is  merely  a  crotch  of  steel  with  a  long  handle,  shown  at 
E,  Fig.  13.  The  crotch  is  placed  over  the  punch  between  the  work  and 
the  front  flange  F  of  the  fixture,  and  on  the  return  of  the  punch,  the  work 
is  stripped,  dropping  to  the  bottom  of  the  cavity  G,  from  which  it  is 
removed  with  tongs. 


n^  OPERATION  ON  BULLDOZER 


CASTIRON 
CHILLED 


^--•■3.7S0  Diam. ->' 

f-P OPERATION  ON  BULLDOZER 


CASTIRON 
CHILLED 


^-■-3.600  Piam.---->^ 
ZV> OPERATION  ON  BULLDOZER 

riG.    14.      SHELL-DKAWING   DIES 


Second-operatioii  Forging  on  Special  Press. — The  second  operation 
on  the  special  press  is  entirely  different  from  that  done  on  the  bulldozer^ 
There  the  work  passes  through  three  separate  operations  in  three  dies 
held  in  three  different  holders;  here  the  work  passes  at  a  single  stroke 
through  three  dies  placed  in  sequence  in  the  same  holder.  In  the  bull- 
dozer the  bottom  is  formed  inside  and  the  base  of  the  forging  brought 
to  the  desired  thickness  at  the  completion  of  the  stroke.  In  the  special 
press  it  immediately  precedes  drawing,  although  it  does  not  consist  of 
a  separate  operation. 

The  drawing  punch  and  dies  are  shown  in  Fig.  15.  The  arrange- 
ment of  the  three  dies,  one  above  the  other,  the  largest  at  the  top  and  the 
smallest  at  the  bottom,  is  shown  in  the  elevation  at  H  in  Fig.  10  and 
T  in  Fig.  16. 

The  Drawing  Operation. — The  cups  from  the  first  operation  being 
hot,  the  pressman  at  each  side  of  the  press  removes  one  from  the  furnace. 
On  each  side  is  a  jet  of  water,  vertically  disposed.     The  cup  is  inverted 


20 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


over  the  jet  for  an  instant  which  causes  the  scale  on  the  inside  to  loosen. 
Striking  the  inverted  cup  a  sharp  blow  on  an  iron  block  shakes  the  scale 
out.  Both  inside  and  outside  is  then  scraped  and  brushed  to  remove 
as  far  as  possible  the  scale.  A  man  on  each  side  of  the  press  then  takes 
a  base-forming  tool,  shown  at  F  in  Fig.  11,  and  lays  the  die  end  of  the 
tool  in  the  top  of  the  die  in  the  press.  The  hot  forgings  are  then  placed 
base  down  in  the  recess  in  the  top  of  the  base-forming  tool,  and  the  press 
tripped. 

On  this  press  two  stops  are  provided,  one  for  forming  the  base  to 
thickness  and  the  other  at  the  extreme  stroke  of  the  ram  after  drawing 


W/5/V  CAST  IRON, 
CHILLED 


WEN  STEEL.  70% 
CARBON  OR  OVER 


■ilWOiam.--^ 
lU OPERATION  ON  FLANGE  PRESS 


^-5.655" Diam.-->^ 
ZfLo  OPERATION  ON  FLANGE  PRESS 


\<^i.595  Diam: >1 

Z''J>  OPERATION  ON  FLANGE  PRESS 

FIG.    15.      DRAWING  PUNCHES  AND  DIES 


has  been  completed.  The  first  stop  is  adjustable,  and  after  being  used 
must  be  swung  out  of  the  way  before  the  punch  can  descend  and  draw 
the  shell. 

The  handhng  of  stops  in  the  large  flanging  machine,  is  by  hand,  as 
shown  in  Fig.  10.  Stripping  also  is  by  hand,  the  same  as  described  for 
the  bulldozer  operation.  There  are  many  objections  to  hand  operation 
of  stops  and  strippers.  There  is  too  much  chance  of  the  human  equation 
getting  out  of  balance  and  too  much  expenditure  of  energy.  With  hand 
stripping  there  is  always  a  possibility  of  spoiling  the  work  on  bending 
the  punches  by  getting  the  stripper  cocked  on  the  edge  of  an  unequally 
drawn  shell.  To  overcome  these  difficulties  Mr.  Allison  designed  a 
system  of  air-operated  stops  and  strippers  which  entirely  obviate  any 
chance  of  something  being  forgotten  and  consequent  disaster.  The 
device  is  shown  in  Fig.  16. 

Before  describing  the  automatic-stripping  mechanism,  an  outline 
of  the  drawing  operation  as  performed  without  it  will  give  the  reader  a 
clearer  conception  of  the  duties  performed  by  it  and  enable  him  to 
appreciate  its  simplicity  and  effectiveness. 


Chap.  II]  FORGING  THE  BLANKS  FOR  SHRAPNEL  21 

When  the  first  stop  is  reached,  the  punches  have  formed  the  inside 
of  the  shell  bases  and  brought  the  bases  to  the  desired  thickness.  The 
man  in  control  of  the  hydraulic  operating  valve  raises  the  punches  so 
that  the  base-forming  die  can  be  removed.  In  the  meantime,  the  first 
stops  on  each  side  of  the  press  base  have  been  thrown  clear  of  the  stops 
on  the  ram.  The  ram  is  again  caused  to  descend  and  the  punches  push 
the  shells  down  through  the  three  dies,  drawing  them  from  1)4  to  10  in. 
in  length.  The  pressman  at  each  die  has  in  the  meantime  taken  a  stripper 
similar  to  the  one  used  in  the  bulldozer  and  shown  at  E,  Fig.  13,  and 
placed  the  crotch  over  the  punch  between  the  drawn  shell  (which  clings 
to  the  punch)  and  the  base  of  the  die  seat.  On  reversal  of  the  ram  the 
forged  shell  is  stripped  from  the  punch  and  falls  to  the  ground  below  the 
die,  whence  it  is  removed  to  a  large  three-sided  iron  bin. 

When  things  are  going  right,  the  press  on  second-operation  work 
turns  out  about  70  finished  forgings  an  hour.  The  work  is  not  only 
heavy,  but  must  be  rapidly  performed  and,  owing  to  the  proximity  of 
the  furnaces,  the  temperature  is  high. 

Automatic  Base -forming  Stops  and  Strippers. — Referring  to  Fig.  16, 
the  stops  A  for  the  base-forming  operation  are  secured  to  the  plunger 
plate  of  the  press,  one  at  the  front  and  one  at  the  back.  The  lower 
member  B  of  the  stop,  when  in  operating  position,  covers  a  cored  hole  S 
in  the  main  frame,  which  is  large  enough  to  permit  the  stops  A  to  pass 
downward  when  the  members  B  are  drawn  out  of  the  way.  The  mem- 
bers B  are  in  slides  and  actuated  by  connecting-rods  from  the  bell  cranks 
C.  The  stop  A  seats  in  a  cup  in  j5,  in  the  bottom  of  which  are  a  number 
of  disk-shaped  shims.  A  slot  D,  which  runs  through  the  cup,  serves  a 
double  purpose,  facilitating  both  the  removal  of  shims  and  the  egress  of 
water,  which  is  apt  to  fall  into  the  upturned  mouth  of  the  cup  when  the 
punches  are  being  cooled  with  the  spraying  tool  shown  at  E,  Fig.  11. 
Before  this  slot  was  made  the  water  caused  the  men  much  annoyance 
through  squirting  in  their  eyes. 

The  bell  cranks  C  are  operated  by  the  air  cylinder  E.  The  two 
strippers  F  are  actuated  by  the  bar  G,  which  has  a  yoke,  or  opening,  H 
of  sufficient  size  to  permit  the  removal  of  the  stripper  for  repairs  or  re- 
placement or  the  use  of  a  hand-stripper,  should  that  be  for  any  reason 
necessary.  One  end  of  the  bar  G  is  pivoted  through  a  link  to  the  main 
body;  the  other  end  is  connected  to  the  yoke-end  I  on  the  piston  rod  of 
the  air  cylinder  J,  shown  in  the  upper  right-hand  corner  of  the  detail. 
This  cylinder  receives  air  at  one  end  only  and  the  piston  is  returned  by 
the  coiled  spring  K,  also  shown. 

At  L  is  an  air  valve  which  is  normally  kept  closed  by  a  heavy  compres- 
sion spring  M.  The  spindle  of  this  valve  is  embraced  by  a  yoke,  the 
upper  end  of  which  finishes  in  a  pin  N  which  is  in  line  with  a  trip  plunger, 
mounted  on  the  plunger  plate  of  the  press,  which  depresses  N  just  as  the 


22 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


ZEISS' 


!:a 

o 

Gf- 

O 

o 

"■^ 

c 

o 

o 

<~ 

--,21  — 

--> 

Chap.  II]  FORGING  THE  BLANKS  FOR  SHRAPNEL  23 

plunger  completes  its  downward  stroke.  This  permits  the  air  under 
pressure  in  the  pipe  0  to  pass  through  the  pipes  as  shown  by  the  arrows, 
actuating  both  pistons  in  the  air  cylinders  J  and  filling  the  reservoir  P 
(the  duty  of  which  will  be  explained  later).  The  piston  in  the  air  cylin- 
ders J  forces  the  strippers  F  into  contact  with  the  punches,  and  as  the 
press  ram  ascends,  the  finished  forgings  fall  to  the  bottoms  of  the  cored 
openings  Q  in  the  base. 

In  the  pipe  system  is  an  adjustable  needle  valve  R,  which  permits 
the  air  to  leak  gradually  from  the  pipe  system,  the  air  cylinders  J  and 
the  air  reservoir  P,  when  the  valve  L  is  in  normal,  or  closed,  position. 
By  regulating  the  leakage  through  the  needle  valve  R,  the  device  can  be 
so  timed  that,  shortly  after  the  finished  forgings  are  stripped  from  the 
punches,  the  pressure  in  the  pipe  system  and  reservoir  will  have  fallen 
so  low  that  the  pull-back  springs  K  in  the  air  cylinders  act,  and  the 
strippers  are  drawn  back  where  they  will  on  the  next  stroke  of  the  press 
clear  the  descending  work. 

Action  of  the  Automatic  Device 

Briefly,  then,  the  action  of  the  device  is  as  follows:  The  work  is 
placed  in  the  base-forming  die  and  the  ram  descends  until  the  stop  A 
brings  up  against  the  lower  member  B.  The  ram  is  raised  to  remove  the 
base-forming  die  and  the  operator  opens  the  air-control  valve.  The  air 
entering  the  cylinder  E  throws  both  lower  members  B  back,  so  that  the 
stops  A  are  free  to  enter  the  cored  holes  S.  The  ram,  being  reversed, 
comes  on  down  forcing  the  forging  through  the  triple  dies  T.  Near  the 
bottom  of  its  stroke  the  stripper  trip  on  the  plunger  plate  strikes  the 
plug  N,  allowing  the  air  to  enter  the  stripping  system  and  to  actuate 
the  stripping  operation  as  described.  While  still  hot,  the  forgings  are 
gaged  with  the  forked  gage  shown  at  H,  Fig.  11. 

Forging  Hints. — It  is  most  imperative  to  remove  as  much  of  the  scale 
from  the  work  as  possible,  as  this  is  liable  to  cause  a  great  deal  of  trouble 
cutting  the  dies  and  making  cavities  in  the  work.  Proper  lubrication  of 
both  punches  and  dies  has  been  a  source  of  considerable  thought.  When 
the  job  first  came  up,  the  old  blacksmith's  trick  of  putting  a  pinch  of 
soft  coal  in  ahead  of  the  punch  was  tried,  but  discontinued.  While  hot, 
the  hole  would  look  good  and  clean,  but  when  being  machined,  pockets 
of  scale  and  slag  would  break  out  and  the  work  would  not  pass  inspection. 

At  present  graphite  and  water  applied  with  the  swabber  shown  at 
G,  Fig.  11,  are  used  on  the  punches.  For  the  dies,  graphite  and  oil  are 
applied  with  a  similar  tool.  But  there  is  still  much  to  be  desired  in  the 
way  of  a  good  lubricant. 

Correct  temperatures  are  of  great  importance.  For  the  first  forging 
operation,  the  work  should  be  as  near  2,000  deg.  F.  as  practicable;  for  the 
second  operation,  the  work  should  be  at  a  temperature  of  1,800  deg.  F. 


24 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


Speeds  are  also  of  considerable  importance.  On  the  first  operation,  a 
speed  of  30  ft.  per  min.  is  permissible  and  satisfactory;  on  the  second 
operation,  a  speed  of  22  ft.  per  min.  is  all  that  the  work  can  safely  stand, 
an  increase  over  this  of  only  2  ft.  per  min.  being  liable  to  cause  trouble. 
A  decrease  of  speed  by  the  same  amount  also  gives  unsatisfactory  results. 

Heat  Treatment. — After  the  forgings  are  machined,  up  to  the  com- 
pletion of  operation  10,  as  shown  in  '' Making  the  18-Lb.  British  Shrap- 
nel," page  41.  They  then  go  to  the  heat-treating  department,  shown 
in  Fig.  17.  The  shells  are  placed  30  at  a  time  in  reverberatory 
furnaces  A.  It  takes  about  30  min.  to  bring  them  to  a  temperature  of 
1,500  deg.  F.  They  are  then  taken  one  at  a  time  and  quenched  in  whale 
oil  in  the  tank  B,  provided  with  a  screen  bottom  which  can  be  raised  by 
the  air  hoist  C,  as  shown  in  Fig.  17.     After  the  bulk  of  the  oil  has  drained 


/fea-/-  Treafing 
Furnace 


Bench  with 
Sderoscope.  attached 


Track 


FIG.    17.       HEAT-TREATING    ARRANGEMENT 


from  the  shells,  they  are  placed  on  the  angular  draining  surface  D.  After 
the  first  treatment,  the  shells,  if  too  hard,  are  reheated  and  drawn  at  a 
temperature  varying  from  700  to  900  deg.  F.,  depending  on  the  steel, 
to  give  the  required  sderoscope  hardness  of  38  to  42.  As  previously 
stated,  the  heat  treatment  is  determined  by  Mr.  Hendy,  the  chemist, 
from  the  coupons  taken  from  each  melt.  Of  three  lots  passed  through  in 
5  days,  3,000  required  no  second  treatment,  while  the  remaining  12,000 
had  to  be  drawn. 

After  heat  treatment  the  shells  are  washed  in  soda  water  in  the  vat 
E,  It  has,  however,  been  found  that  bending  of  the  metal  in  this  opera- 
tion at  the  low  temperature  attained  by  the  metal  at  the  point  where 
the  curved  nose  strikes  the  cylindrical  body  is  apt  to  make  it  brittle; 
so,  after  nosing,  the  shells  are  returned  to  the  lead  pot,  shown  in  Fig. 
18  to  bring  the  metal  at  this  point  to  a  low  red  heat  and  prevent  shortness. 

The  pins  A  are  of  such  length  that  when  the  shells  are  inverted  over 
them  the  open  ends  reach  down  the  required  distance  into  the  lead. 

The  nosing  die  is  shown  in  Fig.  19,  at  A,  and  at  B  is  the  bolster  to 
locate  the  base  of  the  shell  in  line  with  the  die.     Formerly,  for  every  120 


Chap.  II] 


FORGING  THE  BLANKS  FOR  SHRAPNEL 


25 


shells  nosed,  there  was  a  wastage  of  100  lb.  of  lead  due  to  evaporation. 
The  present  chemist  suggested  covering  the  surface  with  broken  charcoal, 
and  now  the  wastage  is  about  20  lb.  for  500  shells,  and  the  bulk  of  this 


Pot 


r 

^rffej 

&y.           ^ 

SECT/ON 

Firebrick 
fo  suii 


^i'-  .^2U    ^fs.''/?.\ 


'^  (cast  iron) 


K--/^/-->l-^ 

FURNACE 
FIG.    18.       LEAD    POT   AND    FURNACE 


\<- '--2.705- 


->1 


'•*/         Front  of  She// 


^       Radius 


finish  all  over 
(steel) 


■4.05' 


FIG.    19.      NOSING   DIES 


is  what  sticks  to  the  work.  In  all  lead-pot  heating,  the  protection  of 
the  surface  with  charcoal  is  advisable,  as  unprotected  lead  hardens  and 
depreciates  rapidly. 

If  the  thin  part  of  the  shell,  that  is,  above  the  hne  AB  in  Fig.  20, 


26 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


shows  a  scleroscope  hardness  according  to  specification,  the  test  piece 
will  invariably  pull  apart  in  the  thick  part  below  the  line  AB  oi  the  test 
piece.  This,  of  course,  is  because  the  heat  treatment  affects  the  thin 
section  more  readily,  and  because  in  this  as  in  all  other  work  the  thickness 
of  the  work,  as  well  as  the  hardness,  influences  the  rebound  of  the  indicat- 
ing member  of  the  scleroscope. 


FIG.    20.      LOCATION  OF  PHYSICAL  TEST  PIECES 


The  scleroscope  is  mounted  on  a  base  and  perpendicular  to  the  center 
of  a  V  for  the  reception  of  the  shell.  At  the  back  of  the  V  is  a  stop  to 
locate  the  shell,  so  that  the  testing  point  is  always  a  given  distance  from 
the  base  of  the  shell.  This  testing  point  is  slightly  below  the  line  AB, 
Fig.  20. 
FORGING  3.3  SHRAPNEL  BLANKS  ON  STEAM  HAMMERS  AND  BULLDOZERS 

At  the  Turcot  works  of  the  Canadian  Car  &  Foundry  Co.,  Ltd., 
Montreal,  Canada,  quite  another  method  of  forging  the  shell  blanks  re- 


Chap.  II] 


FORGING  THE  BLANKS  FOR  SHRAPNEL 


27 


suited  in  the  completion  of  1,200  every  24  hr.  This  record  was  attained 
and  maintained  without  adding  a  single  new  machine  and  though  seven 
operations  were  required  to  perform  the  work  done  at  the  Montreal 
Locomotive  Co.  works  in  three,  still  the  adaptation  of  the  plant's 
steam  hammers  and  bulldozers  to  the  work  is  of  interest. 

Cutting  Off  the  Blanks. — In  this  shop  the  cutting  of  the  blank  shown 
at  A,  Fig.  21,  is  done  hot.  The  bar  stock  is  received  from  the  mill  cut 
to  lengths  which  are  an  exact  multiple  of  5^6  iii->  the  length  of  A.  With 
the  shearing  method  there  is  no  kerf  to  allow  for,  and  should  the  last 
blank  on  a  bar  be  too  short  to  use  for  a  forging,  it  is  a  solid  chunk  of 
scrap  steel  readily  salable  at  a  much  better  price  than  cuttings  from  a 
cold-saw. 


A         .  B  C  0  E  F  G 


FIG.  21.   THE  SEVEN  STAGES  IN  THE  EVOLUTION  OF  THE  SHELL 


The  bars,  approximately  6  ft.  long,  are  heated  four  to  six  at  a  time 
in  a  furnace  above  which  runs  a  trolley,  connecting  with  an  Acme  forg- 
ing machine,  with  block  and  fall  for  handling  the  bars  between  the  fur- 
nace and  machine.  The  dies  for  cutting  off  are  arranged  as  shown  in 
Fig.  22  (a),  so  that  two  blanks  are  cut  each  time  the  machine  is  tripped 
and  completes  its  cycle  of  operation.  Three  men  make  up  the  gang 
and  have  under  their  care  the  furnace,  the  forging  machine  and  a  steam 
hammer.  Their  work  consists  simply  of  cutting  off  the  blanks  and 
upsetting  them. 

The  fixed  holding  dies  A  are  secured  to  the  housing  D  of  the  machine. 
It  will  be  noted  that  the  lower  dies  are  5^6  ^^'  deep  and  are  spaced  5^q 
in.  from  the  upper  dies,  both  these  measurements  being  equal  to  the  length 
of  the  blank.  The  movable  holding  dies  B  are  similar  in  all  respects  to 
the  fixed  dies  A.     The  operation  is  as  follows: 

The  red-hot  bar  is  lowered  till  its  end  strikes  the  bottom  E.  The 
machine  is  then  tripped,  and  the  two  movable  holding  dies  B  advance 
and  clamp  the  bar  in  the  fixed  dies  A.     The  shearing  die  C  then  advances 


28 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


and  shears  a  blank  out  of  the  space  between  the  upper  and  lower  dies 
A,  leaving  a  similar  blank  in  the  lower  dies  A  and  B.  On  the  return 
of  the  sHdes  to  open  position,  the  two  sheared  blanks  are  removed  by  the 
operator  and  the  process  repeated. 


{b)  Upsetting  Die 


(a)    Cutting  off  Dies 


Dimension  ^=3?^  1st  Op. 
Dimension  A=334''2nd  Op. 
Dimension  A=3no3rd  Op. 


(C)  Punch  for 
Pieremg  Operation 


(e)  Dxawing  Dies 


(d)  Piercinar  Die 


if)  Forming  Die 


T" 


^045^ 


3.045^ 


jm. 


pg 


1  >po| 


(g)  Punch  for 
5th,  6th  and  7th 
Operations 


FIG.   22. 


DETAILS  OF  PUNCHES  AND  DIES  USED  IN  FORGING  SHRAPNEL-SHELL  BLANKS 
ON    STEAM    HAMMERS    AND    BULLDOZERS 


Upsetting  the  Blanks. — On  removal  of  the  sheared  blanks  from  the 
machine,  the  operator  throws  them  to  the  hammerman,  who  takes  the 
hot  blank  and,  placing  it  near  the  center  of  the  anvil,  brings  the  head 


Chap.  II]  FORGING  THE  BLANKS  FOR  SHRAPNEL  29 

down  slowly  to  center  it  with  relation  to  the  die  in  the  hammer  head. 
From  two  to  four  sharp  blows  with  the  hammer  shape  it  to  the  form  shown 
at  B,  Fig.  21.  With  a  new  die  in  the  hammer  head,  the  upset  piece 
readily  drops  out,  and  one  man  can  handle  the  upsetting  operation. 
When  the  die  becomes  worn,  help  is  necessary  and  the  two  other  men  of 
the  gang  assist  at  the  upsetting. 

The  upsetting  is  done  without  reheating,  direct  from  the  shearing 
operation  and  by  the  same  gang  of  men,  so  that  each  shift  handles  600 
pieces  sheared  and  the  same  pieces  upset — 1,200  handlings  per  shift. 

The  Piercing  Operations. — While  still  hot  the  upset  blanks  are  placed 
in  a  furnace  and  raised  to  forging  temperature  for  the  first  piercing  opera- 
tion. This  is  performed  on  a  steam  hammer  fitted  with  the  punch  and 
die  shown  in  Figs.  22(c)  and  {d)  respectively.  Two  or  three  blows  with 
the  hammer  drive  the  punch  23/^  in.  into  the  work  and  lengthen  it  about 
5^  to  %  in.,  resulting  in  a  blank  4%  in.  high,  3%  in.  in  diameter  at  the 
bottom,  43-^  in.  at  the  top  with  a  3-in.  hole  2)4.  in.  deep.  The  blank 
is  then  returned  to  the  furnace  and  reheated  for  the  final  piercing  opera- 
tion. This  is  done  with  the  same  punch  and  die  and  in  the  same  manner, 
resulting  in  a  blank  5)^  in.  high,  3^^  in.  in  diameter  at  the  bottom, 
4%  in.  at  the  top  with  a  3-in.  hole  3J4  in.  deep. 

The  Drawing  Operations. — On  completion  of  the  second  piercing 
operation,  the  fourth  of  the  series,  the  work,  while  still  hot,  is  placed 
in  the  first  operation  drawing  die  of  a  bulldozer,  provided  with  four 
sets  of  punchers  and  dies,  two  of  which  are  for  the  first  drawing  operation 
and  the  other  two  for  the  second  drawing  operation. 

The  two  dies  for  the  first  drawing  operation  are  of  chilled  iron  as 
shown  in  the  detail  Fig.  22(e)  with  a  3%-in.  hole.  Both  sets  of  dies  are 
used  alternately  to  prevent  overheating.  The  hot  blanks  are  taken 
direct  from  the  previous  operation  and,  held  with  a  pair  of  pick-ups, 
are  slipped  over  the  end  of  the  advancing  punch.  This  forces  the  work 
through  the  drawing  die  and  at  the  completion  of  the  stroke  pushes  it 
into  a  base-forming  die.  The  effect  of  this  base-forming  die  can  be  readily 
seen  at  the  bottom  of  the  pieces  E  and  F,  Fig.  21.  The  bottom-forming 
die  is  shown  in  the  detail.  Fig.  22(/).  The  bulldozer  runs  at  a  speed  of 
9  strokes  per  minute. 

After  being  formed  to  the  shape  shown  at  E,  Fig.  21,  the  work  which 
comes  from  the  first  drawing  operation  6  in.  long,  3%  in.  diameter  at  the 
top,  Z%  in.  at  the  bottom,  with  a  3  in.  hole  5  in.  deep  is  returned  to  the 
furnace  until  they  reach  a  full  yellow  heat.  The  heated  blanks  are  then 
pushed  through  the  second  set  of  drawing  dies  in  the  bulldozer.  These 
are  similar  to  the  first  operation  dies  but  J^  in.  smaller  in  diameter, 
measuring  3J^  in.  at  the  small  end  of  the  throat.  On  the  completion  of 
the  second  drawing  operation  the  blanks  are  as  shown  at  F,  Fig.  21, 
83^  in.  long,  3%  in.  in  diameter,  with  a  3-in.  hole  1%  in.  deep. 


30  SHRAPNEL  [Sec.  I 

The  work  is  then  passed  through  the  final  drawing  operation  without 
reheating,  but  is  cleaned  of  the  inside  scale  before  it  is  passed  through  the 
final  operation  die  of  the  last  operation  bulldozer.  In  this  machine  the 
base-forming  die  is  replaced  with  a  flat  die  which,  just  at  the  completion 
of  the  stroke,  flattens  the  bottom  of  the  shell  and  imprints  the  manu- 
facturer's mark. 

The  work  from  the  final  forging  operation  is  103-^  in.  long,  33^  in 
diameter,  with  a  3 -in.  hole  9%  in.  deep. 


CHAPTER  III 

MAKING    THE    18-LB.    BRITISH    SHRAPNEL^— THE    DOUBLE- 
SPINDLE  FLAT  TURRET  LATHE 

The  British  18-pounder,  3.3-in.  diameter,  represents  the  highest 
efficiency  in  shrapnel,  for  this  size  possesses  the  maximum  damaging 
abiUty  with  a  minimum  of  labor  in  handling  the  gun  and  its  ammunition. 
Furthermore,  this  size  is  small  enough  to  be  within  the  capacity  of 
ordinary  machine  tools  and  large  enough  to  require,  for  its  manufacture, 
rigid  boring  bars  and  other  equipment  suitable  for  heavy  cuts.  These 
characteristics  make  the  output  of  18-pounders  typical  of  shrapnel 
manufacture  in  general,  and  a  detailed  description  of  the  shop  operations 
required  for  this  size  will  constitute  a  comprehensive  and  reliable  guide 
for  the  manufacture  of  all  shrapnel  shells  from  3-in.  diatmeter,  15-lb. 
shrapnel,  up. 

The  Canadian  IngersoU-Rand  Co.  was  among  the  first  to  undertake 
to  deliver  a  definite  number  of  shells  per  week  (2,000  per  week  at  first 
and  subsequently  3,000)  and  a  record  of  this  shop's  operations  sets  an 
excellent  guide  for  all  plants  which  may  in  future  be  called  upon  to 
undertake  the  manufacture  of  shrapnel. 

Reconstructed  Engine  Lathes. — An  advantage  which  this  plant 
already  had  was  the  possession  of  a  first-class  toolroom.  The  tooling-up 
for  a  proposition  that  runs  into  hundreds  of  thousands  of  pieces  is  vitally 
important,  for  every  cent  nipped  off  of  an  operation  means  a  thousand 
dollars  or  more.  As  a  result  of  this,  one  finds  many  reconstructed  engine 
lathes  fairly  well  disguised  by  the  addition  of  special  chucks,  revolving 
turrets,  or  square-turret  tool  posts  of  the  Gisholt  type.  Their  builders 
would  hardly  recognize  them.  But  where  the  original  machines,  as  a 
general  utility  tool,  had  a  possible  average  of  40  to  50  per  cent,  efficiency, 
the  reconstructed  machines  with  their  specialized  attachments  probably 
figures  nearer  to  80  or  90  per  cent.,  from  a  viewpoint  of  doing  what  they 
have  been  designed  to  do.  Even  the  addition  of  a  square-turret  tool 
post  to  an  engine  lathe,  in  cases  where  the  same  tools  are  used  over  and 
over  again  in  sequence,  cuts  down  the  loss  of  time  very  noticeably. 

Here  one  finds  an  illustration  of  good  work  done  on  old  tools.  Pos- 
sibly the  most  important  part  of  the  entire  shell,  as  far  as  the  limit  of 
accuracy  is  concerned,  is  the  thickness  of  wall  directly  behind  the  thread 
seat  at  the  nose  end.     While  other  dimensions  have  high  and  low  Hmits, 

*  John  H.  Van  Deventer,  Managing  Editor,  American  Machinist. 

31 


32 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


this  particular  one  is  marked  simply  by  the  exact  dimension,  and  the 
slightest  deviation  shown  by  the  inspector's  micrometer  from  this  dimen- 
sion, causes  the  rejection  of  the  shell.  One  of  the  machines  used  for 
performing  the  operations  on  this  part  is  an  old  turret  lathe  so  inaccurate 
that  it  had  the  reputation  of  not  being  able  to  hold  a  size  within  one- 
eighth  inch  of  any  given  dimension.  But  when  equipped  with  a  positive 
turret-locking  device  and  a  cam  which  controlled  the  movement  of  the 
cutting  tools,  the  machine  was  able  to  live  down  its  former  bad  reputa- 
tion and  is  today  producing  work  fully  up  to  the  exacting  requirements. 
The  Evolution  of  the  Completed  Shrapnel  Case.^ — The  thirty  odd 
main  operations  required,  from  that  of  trimming  the  rough  forged  blanks 
to  length  to  that  of  boxing  the  completed  steel  cases  for  shipment  to 
England,  where  the  explosives,  the  fuses,  the  timing  devices,  etc.,  are 
added  and  the  shrapnel  assembled  with  its  brass  cartridge  shell,  are 
explained  in  the  concise  descriptions  of  Operations  1  to  32,  inclusive, 
which  follow. 


2- Jaw 
Chuck 


:3LZ 


OPERATION  1.   LAY  OUT,  CUT  OFF  AND  REAM  BURR 

Machines  Used — Cutting-off  machines  with  front  and  back  cutting  tools,  A. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Mandrel  for  laying  out,  B;  surface  gage,  C;  surface 
plate,  D;  bevel  hand  reamer  for  removing  burr  (held  against  rotating  shell),  E. 

Gages — None. 

Production — From  one  machine  and  one  operator,  20  per  hour,  including  laying 
out. 

Note — Soap-water  lubrication  used  in  cutting. 


Chap.  Ill] 


MAKING  THE  18-LB.  BRITISH  SHRAPNEL 


33 


3305> 


Is  ■ 


r.  ^-3075" 


'^::^  c=E 


1 

1               z. 

5 

3 

1 

■^r7l§>' 


OPERATION  2.   ROUGH-TURN  BODY  AND  TURN  BEVEL 

Machine  Used — Gisholts  and  engine  lathes  fitted  with  turretT'tool-posts. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Expanding  mandrel,  A;  special  driving  dog,  E.  Cut- 
ting tools:  For  rough-turning  body,  Bl;  for  finish-turning  body,  B2;  for  forming 
taper,  B3. 

Gages — ^Limit  snap-gage  for  diameter,  C.  Gage  for  setting  taper-turning  tool 
(used  against  mandrel  before  shell  is  chucked),  D. 

Production — From  one  machine  and  one  operator,  six  per  hour. 

Note — The  accuracy  of  finish  of  the  body  at  this  stage  is  on  account  of  future 
chucking  in  special  chucks. 


34 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


Table 


OPERATION  3.      ROUGH-FACE  BASE  END  OP  SHELL 

Machine  Used — 42-in.  vertical  turret  lathe. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Circular  chucking  fixture  to  hold  24  shells,  A. 
Gages — Thickness  gage,  %  in.  square,  for  setting  tool  at  correct  height  in  con- 
nection with  finished  surface  B. 

Production — From  one  machine  and  one  operator,  48  shells  per  hour. 


Chap.  Ill] 


MAKING  THE  18-LB.  BRITISH  SHRAPNEL 


35 


OPERATION  4.       FINISH-FACE  END,  FINISH-TURN  BASE  AND  MAKE  RADIUS  ON  BASE  EDGE 

Machines  Used — 16-in.  turret  lathes  and  engine  lathes  with  square-turret  tool- 
posts. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Split-collet  chuck,  with  internal  distance  arbor,  A; 
steady-head  for  supporting  the  collet  chuck,  B;  spUt  adapter  bushing,  to  make  up  for 
taper  end  of  shell,  C.  Cutting  tools:  For  finish-facing  base,  Dl;  for  finish-turning 
base,  D2;  for  rounding  corner,  D3. 

Gages — ^Limit  snap-gage  for  base  diameter,  E;  radius  gage,  F;  distance  block  for 
setting  facing  cut  from  internal  distance  arbor,  G. 

Production — From  one  machine  and  one  operator,  10  per  hour. 

Note — The  completion  of  the  base  end  at  this  operation  eliminates  one  operation 
on  the  grinders. 


36 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


OPERATION    5 

First  Shop  Inspection — The  cases  are  inspected  for  size  of  base  diameter,  radius 
of  corner,  etc.,  using  gages  similar  to  those  in  the  operation  4.  The  carbon  content 
is  also  stamped  on  the  shell  base  at  this  point,  shells  being  put  through  in  lots  of  the 
same  carbon  content.  Up  to  this  point  the  various  lots  were  distinguished  by  paint 
marks  inside  the  shell.  At  this  inspection  particular  attention  is  paid  to  defects  and 
flaws,  especially  at  the  base  of  the  shell,  so  that  further  labor  will  not  be  put  on  de- 
fective cases. 

Production — Sixty  per  hour  per  inspector. 


™ 


F\ 


iiiiii 


k--j^^->j         K-^'?->J 


^ "^rSf^ 


U-3i*-vH 


-34f-H 


k-3r->j 


3<5te 


OPERATION  6.       BORE   POWDER-POCKET  AND   DISK-SEAT,   ROUGH-TURN   AND 
FACE    NOSE    END 


Machines  Used — J.  &  L.  flat-turret  lathes. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Special  hinged  chuck,  A.  Cutting  tools :  For  rough- 
boring  powder  pocket,  Bl;  for  finish-boring  powder  pucket,  B2;  for  rough-boring 
disk  seat,  B3;  for  reaming  disk  seat,  B4;  for  facing  nose  end,  B5;  for  turning  nose  end, 
B6. 


Chap.  Ill] 


MAKING  THE  18-LB.  BRITISH  SHRAPNEL 


37 


Gages — Double-end  limit  plug-gage  for  diameter  of  powder  pocket,  C;  double- 
end  limit  plug-gage  for  diameter  of  disk-seat,  D;  special  limit  gage  for  depth  of  powder- 
pocket,  E. 

Production — From  one  machine  and  one  operator,  10  per  hour. 

Note — 1.  Lard  oil  is  used  on  this  operation  as  a  cutting  lubricant.  2.  Upper  end 
of  gage  E,  illustrating  register  of  +  and  —  surfaces,  shown  at  F.  3.  Details  of 
hinged  chuck,  shown  at  G. 


Av>- 


38 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


Chap.  Ill] 


MAKING  THE  18-LB.  BRITISH  SHRAPNEL 


39 


OPERATION    7.      CUT    RECESS    AND    MAKE    WAVES 

'  Machines  Used — P.  &  J.  automatic  chucking  machines. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Special  chuck,  jaws  bored  for  shell  diameter,  A; 
wave  cam,  attached  to  faceplate,  B.  Cutting  tools:  For  roughing  recess  (carried  on 
cross-slide),  CI;  for  forming  wave  (carried  on  cross-sUde),  C2;  for  undercutting  recess 
(carried  on  cross-slide  and  fed  by  arm  on  turret),  C3. 

Gages — ^Limit  snap-gage  for  bottom  of  groove,  D;  limit  snap-gage  for  diameter  of 
top  of  waves,  E;  template  for  height  and  form  of  wave,  F;  limit  gage  for  distance  of 
recess  from  base,  G;  limit  gage  for  width  of  recess,  H;  minimum  limit  gage  for  under- 
cut, J. 

Production — From  one  machine  and  one  operator,  10  per  hour. 

Note — Method  of  cutting  the  three-wave  cam  on  engine  lathe,  shown  at  K. 


OPERATION 


PRELIMINARY    SHOP    INSPECTION 


Gages — For  +  thickness  of  base.  A;  for  +  depth  of  powder  pocket,  B;  for  + 
diameter  of  powder  pocket,  C;  for  +  diameter  of  disk  seat,  D;  for  ±  length  over  all, 
E;  for  +  diameter  of  base,  F;  for  +  diameter  of  recess  at  bottom,  G;  for  +  diameter 
over  waves,  H;  for  ±  recess  width,  I;  for  ±  distance  of  recess  from  base,  J;  for  — 
undercut,  K;  for  —  thickness  of  nose,  L;  for  —  diameter  of  nose,  M.  Total,  23  gaging 
operations. 

Production — Fifty  shells  per  hour  inspected  by  two  men. 


40 


SHRAPNEL 


5ec.  I 


r 


&■ 


i  4Sio50  A 

Hardness      M= 


OPERATION    9.       HEAT-TREAT,    GRIND    SPOT    AND    TEST 

Equipment  Used — Muffle  furnaces  for  hardening  and  tempering,  A;  oil  baths  for 
quenching,  B;  plain  grinder  for  spotting,  C;  scleroscope,  D;  boxes  for  120  shells,  E; 
special  shell  tongs,  F. 

Production — Heating  and  quenching;  16  shells  per  hour  per  furnace.  Four  fur- 
naces in  operation,  tended  by  two  men. 

Note — Heat  treatment  consists  of  heating  to  1,460  deg.  F.,  and  quenching,  then 
reheating  to  between  650  deg.  and  1,000  deg.  F.,  according  to  carbon  contents,  and 
tempering.  Carbon  varies  from  45  to  55  points.  Oil  fuel  is  used,  and  heat  is  controlled 
by  pyrometers.  After  sorting  into  batches,  two  shells  are  selected  at  random,  one  for 
tensile-strength  test,  the  other  for  firing  proof. 


Chap.  Ill] 


MAKING  THE  18-LB.  BRITISH  SHRAPNEL 


41 


^' 


5  A  W 

D 


D/?/Ll  INJIO 


n 


MILL   SIDES 


n 


MILL   SLOT 


^^ 


^     fT^Qf 


FILE  IN  JIG 


OPERATION    10 MAKE   TENSILE-STRENGTH   TEST-PIECE 

Saw  out  test-piece  on  miller,  mill  flat-faces,  mill  slot,  drill  test-piece  and  file  in  jig 

Machines  Used — Drilling  machines  and  plain  miller. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Distance  collars  for  miller  arbor  for  sawing  test- 
piece,  A;  thickness  blocks  for  miller  vise  for  milling  flat  faces,  B;  round-corner  cutter 
for  milling  slot,  C;  drill  jig  for  drilling,  D;  filing  jig  for  filing,  E. 

Gages — Micrometer. 

Production — One  man  performing  all  operations  can  produce  one  in  23^  hr. 


42 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  1 


OPERATION   11.      REHEAT  IN  LEAD  BATH,   INSERT  DISK,   "bOTTLB"  NOSE  END,  REHEAT 

AND  ANNEAL 

Equipment  Used — ^Lead  pot  A;  bottling  press,  B;  bottling  die,  C;  lower  ring,  D; 
mica  box,  E. 

Production — With  one  lead  pot,  one  bottling  press  and  two  men,  60  per  hour. 

Note — The  "disk"  is  inserted  just  previous  to  ''bottling,"  after  heating  the  case. 
The  bottling  press  used  at  the  Canadian  Ingersoll-Rand  plant  is  a  rebuilt  Leyner 
mine  drill  sharpener.     The  die  is  water-cooled  so  the  shell  will  not  stick  to  it. 


OPERATION    12.      SANDBLAST   BASE    END    AND    RECESS 

Note — The  sandblast  has  been  found  most  satisfactory  to  remove  the  scale  due 
to  heat  treatment. 

Production — One  apparatus  and  one  operator,  60  per  hour. 


Chap.  Ill] 


MAKING  THE  18-LB.  BRITISH  SHRAPNEL 


43 


This^'deof 

carriforbonng    /"^-ffo/kr 


vw;  tf 


.  0.325 1 0025  -sf 
Tl.  . 

O 


II 


I  'a/37' 

,taoo5 


^ 


F  I 


^ 


OPERATION  13.   TURN,  BORE  AND  TAP  NOSE  END 

Machine  Used — Turret  lathes  and  engine  lathes  with  improvised  turrets. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Hinged  and  collet  chucks,  same  as  operations  4 
and  6  (hinged  chuck  shown  at  A);  nose  turning  and  boring  cam,  B.  Cutting  tools: 
Outside  turning  and  facing  tool,  CI;  boring  tool  for  roughing  thread  seat  in  nose, 
C2;  boring  tool  for  boring  inside  of  nose,  C3;  reamer  for  thread  seat,  C4;  collapsible 
tap  for  tapping  thread  in  nose,  C5. 

Gages — Gage  for  wall  thickness,  D;  gage  for  wall  thickness,  E;  length  gage,  F; 
profile  template  for  nose,  H. 


44 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


OPERATION  14.      RETAP  NOSE 

Machines  Used — Radial  drilling  machines. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Vise  for  holding  shell,  A. 

Gages — Plug  gage  for  thread. 

Production — One  operator  and  one  machine,  20  per  hour. 


OPERATION   15.       FIT  DOG  AND  PLUG-CENTER  FOR  GRINDERS— REMOVE   DOG  AND  PLUG- 
CENTER 

Equipment  Used — Hinged  chuck  used  as  vise. 
Production — Two  men,  60  per  hour. 


Chap.  Ill] 


MAKING  THE  18-LB.  BRITISH  SHRAPNEL 


45 


'k 


rff 


OBrAlL  OF WHiEL- 

TRUEimD£y/C£ 


9oa 

'ff[xm. 


32R.p.m. 


R?e.5T-- 


'•"■0.35" 


< \ 


OPERATION     16.       GRIND     NOSE 

Machines  Used — Norton  and  Landis  plain  grinders. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Wheel-truing  device,  A;  driving  dog  and  center- 
plug  (see  operation  15). 

Gages — Profile  gage  for  nose,  B;  micrometer  for  large  diameter. 

Production — One  operator  and  one  machine,  40  per  hour. 

Note — Grinding  wheel  used  is  crystolon,  grade  L,  in  a  grain  mixture  of  J^  each 
24-36  and  46.  The  output  per  wheel  varies  between  3,200  to  9,800  shells.  The 
frequency  of  wheel  dressing  is  once  per  10  to  30  shells,  with  a  maximum  of  1  in  3  and 
a  minimum  of  1  in  78  shells. 


OPERATION    17.       GRIND    BODY 

Machines  Used — Norton  and  Landis  plain  grinders. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Driving  dog  and  plug-center  (see  operation  15). 
Gage — Micrometer. 

Production — One  operator  and  one  machine,  20  per  hour. 

Note — Wheel  and  work  speed,  and  composition  of  wheel,  same  as  in  operation 
16.     Wheel  maintenance  averages   Ic.  per  shell.     Power  required  averages  30  hp. 


46 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


„    ,  ,  ,3hou/c/er 
^c/u- — — >h->| 


G210'„  I  OJJO' 
^f^^    J.                          }.ltO.O/0 

-"     >1  i^.-...2''--->j 


^1 


OPERATION    18.      SHOP   INSPECTION 

Special  Fixture — Holder  for  shell  for  gaging  wall  thickness,  A. 

Gages — Micrometer  for  wall  thickness,  B;  for  wall  thickness,  C;  for  wall  thick- 
ness, D;  for  ±  overall  length,  E;  for  thread  in  nose;  for  ±  diameter  of  base,  G;  for 
±  diameter  at  shoulder,  H;  for  +  body  diameter,  I;  for  ±  diameter  over  waves,  J; 
for  nose  profile,  K;  for  depth  of  nose  recess,  L;  for  +  diameter  of  bottom  of  wave 
M.     Total  of  17  gaging  operations. 

Production — Sixty  shells  per  hour  for  two  men. 


OPERATION   19.      FIRST  GOVERNMENT  INSPECTION 

(Not   illustrated) 

Gages — Similar  to  those  shown  in  operations  8  and  18. 

Production — Six  government  inspectors  take  care  of  both  the  first  and  final 
inspection  of  600  shells  per  day. 


Chap.  Ill] 


MAKING  THE  18-LB.  BRITISH  SHRAPNEL 


47 


48 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


Jii^iCATiUX    21.       TURN    AND    FORM    DRIVE    BAND 

Machines  Used — Brass  lathes  and  engine  lathes  with  special  forming  slides. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Draw-in  collet-chuck,  A,  and  special  forming  slide, 
B.     Cutting  tools:  Width  tool,  CI;  rough  turning  tool,  C2;  finish  forming  tool,  C3. 

Gages — For  height  of  radius  from  base,  D;  for  form  of  band,  E;  for  ±  diameter 
at  F,  F;  for  ±  diameter  at  G,  G;  for  ±   diameter  at  H,  H;  for  ±  diameter  at  I,  I. 

Production — From  one  machine  and  one  operator,  15  per  hour. 


Chap.  Ill] 


MAKING  THE  18-LB.  BRITISH  SHRAPNEL 


49 


OPERATION    22,       STAMP    SHELL    WITH    INSCRIPTION,    INSERT    TIN    POWDER    CUP,    DRIVE 
DISK    HOME,     AND    INSERT    BRASS    POWDER    TUBE 


Equipment  Used — Rolling  press  for  inscription,  A. 
Production — One  man,  40  per  hour. 


50 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


OPERATION  23.      PILL  WITH  BALLS,  JAR  DOWN  ON  VIBRATOR  AND  WEIGH 

Equipment  Used — Shot  box  with  self -measuring  hopper,  A;  vibrator  table,  B; 
scales,  C;  shot  funnel  for  centering  powder  tube,  D. 

Production — One  man,  50  per  hour. 

Note — The  necessity  for  shaking  down  on  the  vibrator  depends  on  the  roughness 
of  the  shot  used.     The  vibrator  is  "borrowed"  from  a  molding  machine. 


Chap.  Ill] 


MAKING  THE  18-LB.  BRITISH  SHRAPNEL 


51 


OPERATION 


PILL    WITH    ROSIN 


WEIGH 


Equipment  Used — Electric  rosin  pot,  A;  scales,  B. 

Production — Two  men  and  two  rosin  pots,  60  shells  per  hour. 

Note — The  rosin  must  be  heated  between  360  deg.  to  400  deg.,  to  fill  the  shell 
properly.  The  current  consumption  of  each  pot  is  23^  kw.,  11  oz.  103^^  drams  of 
rosin  are  required  per  shell.     Exact  weight  is  made  with  buckshot. 


52 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


OPERATION     25.       SCREW     IN     FUSE     SOCKET 

Equipment  Used — Special  hinged  chuck,  as  vise,  A;  special  tongs  used  as  a 
wrench,  B. 

Production — One  man,  60  per  hour. 


OPERATION  26.   SOLDER  POWDER  TUBE  INTO  FUSE  SOCKET 

Equipment  Used — Special  ball-bearing  table  for  rotating  shell,  A;  electric 
soldering  iron,  B;  solder  rings,  C. 

Production — One  man,  50  to  60  shells  per  hour. 

Note— This  remarkably  high  production  rate  has  been  maintained  for  several 
months. 


Chap.  Ill] 


MAKING  THE  18-LB.  BRITISH  SHRAPNEL 


53 


OPERATION   27.      TURN,    FACE    AND    UNDERCUT  FUSE    SOCKET,    FACE    CENTRAL   POWDER 

TUBE 

Machines  Used — Brass  turrets  and  modified  engine  lathes. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Special  split  collet  chuck  with  scroll  ring,  A.  Cutting 
tools:  Facing  and  recessing  tool,  Bl;  rough  turning  tool,  B2;  forming  tool,  B3;  form- 
ing tool,  B4. 

Gages — Profile  template,  C;  limit  bevel  gage,  D;  nose  undercut  limit  gage,  E. 

Production — One  man  and  one  machine,  10  per  hour. 


54 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  1 


LXIJUUUUU^ 


=ofl=a=jrn]   ^1 


OPERATION  28.      CLEAN  OUT  AND   REAM  POWDER  TXJBE    (IP  NECESSARY)    AND   INSPECT 

Equipment  Used — Air  drills  driving  reamers,  A;  special  equalizing  clamp,  B. 
Gages — Fuse  socket  gages  as  described  for  operation  27.     Drive  band  gages  as 
described  for  operation  21. 

Production — Twenty  per  hour  per  man. 


^ 
" 

^ 

^>"* 

^riih  ^rPM 

lV/Pi-/VC/V^k  \^ 

"^'  ■"'  *^""  "1 

& 

^MwTT^^l 

^^^             V/^rn^ 

r 

j^ 

ssw 

SM 

OPERATION    29.      INSERT    FUSE-HOLE    PLUG    AND    GRUB-SCREW 

Equipment  Used — Special  vise,  similar  to  those  shown  in  operation  25. 
Production — One  man,  50  per  hour. 

Note — The  fuse-hole  plug  is  a  brass  protecting  plug  and  is  removed  when  the  fuse 
itself  is  attached. 


OPERATION    30.      FINAL   GOVERNMENT   INSPECTION 


(Not  illustrated) 


Chap.  Ill]  MAKING  THE  18-LB.  BRITISH  SHRAPNEL 


55 


OPERATION  31.      PRIME   AND   PAINT 

Equipment  Used — Reconstructed  bolt  threaders,  A;  spring  cup  centers,  B; 
drying  racks,  C. 

Production — Four  men;  prime,  paint  and  stack  60  shells  per  hour. 

Note — Shells  are  left  to  dry  24  hr.  between  primer  and  finish  coat.  Steel  work 
is  finished  in  naval  gray,  copper  parts  are  finished  with  red  lead. 


OPERATION      32.      BOX      FOR      SHIPMENT 

Note — Six  shells  are  placed  in  each  box. 


56  SHRAPNEL  [Sec.  I 

Various  Kinds  of  Chucks. — One  of  the  first  considerations,  and  a  very 
important  one,  is  the  method  of  chucking  the  shell.  The  requirements 
are  firm  gripping  and  complete  and  rapid  self-centering.  The  internal 
chuck  used  for  the  second  operation  presents  the  most  difficult  problem. 
With  a  restricted  space  in  which  to  act,  and  its  dimensions  limited  by  the 
inside  of  the  rough  shell,  it  has  nevertheless  to  withstand  the  most  severe 
cutting  strain  of  any  during  the  whole  process.  The  details  of  this 
chucking  arbor  are  shown  on  the  second  operation  sheet,  and  that  it 
serves  its  purpose  may  be  judged  by  the  fact  that  a  rough  cut  %6  in. 
deep  and  with  a  J^-in.  feed  is  taken  over  the  shell  at  a  speed  of  70  ft. 

The  external  chucking  of  the  shell  is  a  simpler  proposition.  Various 
types  of  chucks  are  being  used  for  this  purpose.  The  hinged  chuck 
shown  in  operation  6  was  one  of  the  first  put  in  service,  but  was 
not  altogether  satisfactory,  as  slight  variations  in  the  diameter  of 
the  shell,  even  within  permissible  limits  of  accuracy,  made  consider- 
able difference  in  holding  power.  Split-collet  chucks,  as  shown  in  opera- 
tions 4,  21  and  27,  have  proved  more  satisfactory.  The  latest  improve- 
ment is  to  equip  several  of  these  chucks  with  draw-in  collets  operated  by 
compressed-air  pistons,  which  effects  a  creditable  economy  in  the  time 
of  chucking.  It  will  be  noticed  that  in  nearly  all  cases  the  special  chuck 
is  equipped  with  a  ''steady-head,"  which  is  necessary  to  avoid  spring 
due  to  the  length  of  the  shell. 

The  Advantages  of  Subdivided  Operations. — There  are  two  widely 
different  principles  in  quantity  manufacturing,  each  of  which  has  its 
apparent  advantages  and  supporters.  These  are  nowhere  any  better 
illustrated  than  in  the  manufacture  of  shrapnel  shells.  Some  believe 
in  putting  as  many  operations  as  possible  upon  one  machine;  others,  in 
reducing  each  operation  to  its  lowest  terms.  The  Canadian  Ingersoll- 
Rand  management  advocates  the  latter.  It  produces  several  arguments 
in  favor  of  this  plan,  in  addition  to  the  final  proof  of  a  remarkably  low 
total-production  time. 

''When  you  multiply  operations,  you  multiply  trouble,"  says  Mr. 
Sangster,  plant  superintendent.  "You  have  more  trouble  in  making 
an  expert  operator  out  of  a  green  hand,  and  the  delay  is  more  serious  in 
case  anything  goes  wrong.  Taking  all  in  all,  the  flexibility  and  freedom 
from  serious  delays  accompanying  fine  subdivision  of  operation  more 
than  make  up  for  the  slight  extra  cost  of  handling  pieces  from  one  machine 
to  another."  It  may  be  possible  that  this  simplification  of  operations 
has  something  to  do  with  the  quickness  with  which  this  organization  has 
taken  hold  of  a  new  line  of  work.  Each  man  has  a  simple  and  definite 
task  to  accomplish,  and  his  work  presents  a  problem  which  is  not  made 
difficult  of  solution  by  containing  too  many  variable  and  unknown 
quantities. 

Gages. — Shell  manufacture  is  strictly  a  limit-gage  proposition  and 


Chap.  Ill]  MAKING  THE  18-LB.  BRITISH  SHRAPNEL  57 

necessitates,  in  addition  to  the  master  set  of  gages  used  for  reference 
purposes,  a  set  of  inspection  gages  and  corresponding  gages  at  each 
machine  for  which  inspections  are  required. 

Most  of  the  gages  employed  by  the  Canadian  Ingersoll-Rand  Co. 
are  of  the  "snap"  type,  having  maximum  and  minimum  measuring 
surfaces  on  the  same  gage.  One  of  the  most  ingenious  is  shown  in  opera- 
tion 8  at  B.  This  is  used  to  measure  the  depth  of  the  powder  pocket. 
The  inner  gaging  spindle  slides  within  the  outer  reference  sleeve,  and  is 
provided  with  a  notch  milled  at  its  upper  end,  with  two  surfaces,  one 
plus  and  one  minus.  The  inspector,  by  grasping  the  outer  sleeve  and 
placing  his  thumb  on  the  notch,  can  readily  feel  the  register  of  maximum 
and  minimum  surfaces  with  the  outer  sleeve  and  perform  his  inspection 
without  the  necessity  of  looking  at  the  gage. 

Another  well-designed  device  indicates  the  thickness  of  the  base  of 
the  shell.  It  is  shown  at  A,  operation  8,  and  consists  of  a  surface  plate, 
a  mandrel  for  holding  the  shell  and  a  maximum  and  minimum  gage 
fastened  into  a  heavy  base  which  slides  upon  the  surface  plate. 

Shop  Conveniences. — The  transportation  system  which  was  in  use 
at  the  Canadian  Ingersoll-Rand  Co.  plant  was  well  adapted  to  care  for 
the  requirements  of  shell  manufacture.  Transfer  trucks  with  removable 
platforms  formed  an  important  part  of  the  complement  of  the  shop,  so 
special  box  platforms  were  constructed  conveniently  to  hold  the  shells. 
Each  of  these  box  platforms  holds  60  shells,  one-half  the  common  unit  lot 
of  120. 

Inspection. — The  arrangement  of  the  shop  inspections  is  made  with 
the  idea  of  catching  defectives  in  time  to  prevent  unnecessary  labor  loss. 
The  first  inspection,  operation  5,  is  made  to  come  before  the  shells  are 
bored,  so  that  any  defects  or  pipes  which  would,  condemn  the  shell  may 
be  discovered  at  this  time.  Shells  which  have  the  least  sign  of  defect 
at  the  base  end  are  immediately  rejected,  since  a  flaw  at  this  point  might 
be  the  means  of  igniting  the  bursting  charge  in  the  shell  at  the  time  that 
the  exploding  charge  in  the  cartridge  case  is  fired. 

Heat  Treatment. — Heat  treatment  is  one  of  the  most  critical  opera- 
tions on  the  shell  and  must  be  given  careful  handling.  The  insistence 
upon  this  point  is  due  to  the  tendency  of  a  shell  when  fired  to  change  its 
shape  while  in  the  gun.  There  are  enormous  strains  imposed  at  this 
time,  and  if  the  material  in  the  shell  is  of  low  elastic  limit  or  too  ductile, 
it  is  likely  to  expand  and  grip  the  bore  of  the  gun,  causing  an  explosion. 

The  muffle  type  of  furnace  has  been  adopted  for  heat  treating  the 
shells  as  being  more  convenient  than  the  ordinary  heating  furnace, 
which  necessitates  a  higher  lift  in  placing  and  removing  the  shrapnel. 
It  must  be  stated,  however,  that  the  cast-iron  pots  which  are  used  in  the 
muffles  at  present  are  not  altogether  satisfactory,  since  they  burn  out 
quite  frequently.     Steps  are  now  being  taken  to  design  furnaces  of  the 


58  SHRAPNEL  [Sec.  I 

same  general  type  but  constructed  entirely  of  firebrick.  Electrical 
pyrometers  are  used  to  indicate  and  control  the  temperatures. 

Closing-in  the  Shell. — The  ''bottUng,"  or  closing-in,  of  the  shell  is  a 
simpler  operation  than  most  people  imagine.  The  nose  end  of  the 
shell  is  heated  to  a  dull  red  heat  in  a  lead  pot.  At  this  temperature, 
very  little  force  is  required  to  close  up  the  nose  end,  and  it  has  been  done 
on  almost  every  conceivable  kind  of  a  machine  from  tire  upsetters  to 
bulldozers,  not  excluding  steam  hammers  and  punch-presses.  At  this 
plant,  a  reconstructed  mine-drill  sharpener  is  used  for  the  purpose,  and 
the  bottling  die  is  water-cooled  so  that  the  shell  will  drop  out  without 
sticking. 

Grinding  Operations. — The  main  metal  cutting  operations  are  com- 
pleted with  operation  14,  after  which  the  body  and  nose  of  the- shell  are 
ground  to  finished  size.  This  is  quite  a  recent  development  and  was 
introduced  in  the  shops  of  the  Canadian  Ingersoll-Rand  Co.  to  increase 
output  rather  than  for  the  slight  saving  in  cost  realized  from  grinding  the 
shells  instead  of  finishing  them  in  a  lathe,  as  was  the  former  practice. 
A  very  considerable  increase  in  output  from  a  given  floor  space  was  made 
possible  by  the  adoption  of  the  grinding  process. 

The  critical  inspection  following  the  grinding  operations,  however, 
makes  it  imperative  to  keep  the  grinding  wheels  in  proper  shape.  This 
is  done  by  means  of  diamond  truing-up  devices.  One  of  these  for  the 
nose  wheel  is  shown  in  operation  16;  it  consists  of  a  radial  diamond  holder 
mounted  so  as  to  reproduce  the  radius  of  the  shell  nose  on  the  grinding 
wheel.  It  will  be  noticed  that,  in  addition  to  its  curve,  this  wheel  has 
a  straight  face  for  approximately  %  in.  at  the  side  nearest  the  base  end 
of  the  shell.  This  is  produced  on  the  wheel  after  truing  the  curve  by 
locking  the  diamond  in  position  and  allowing  the  wheel  to  traverse.  At 
this  point  is  the  ''shoulder"  of  the  shell,  which  is  from  one  to  two  thou- 
sandths larger  at  this  diameter  than  at  any  other,  excepting,  of  course,  the 
copper  drive  band. 

Every  effort  is  made  to  economize  in  time  and  labor  on  the  part  of 
the  grinder  operators.  The  driving  dog  and  plug  center  required  prior 
to  grinding  are  fitted  by  an  operator  who  does  nothing  else,  thus  enabling 
the  grinder  operators  to  produce  shells  at  the  rate  of  20  an  hour  for  the 
body  grinding  and  40  per  hour  for  nose  grinding. 

Two  grinding  operations  are  employed  at  this  plant.  This  is  less 
than  the  usual  number,  one  grinding  being  eliminated  by  operation  4, 
in  which  the  base  end  of  the  shell  was  turned  to  its  finished  size.  Where 
this  is  not  done,  it  is  necessary  to  readjust  the  driving  dogs  and  finish  the 
base  of  the  shell  by  a  third  grinding  operation. 

The  Preliminary  Inspection.^ — After  the  grinding  processes,  the  shell 
is  completed  as  far  as  its  steel  case  is  concerned,  all  further  machining 
operations  being  upon  the  copper  and  brass  attached  parts.     Therefore, 


Chap.  Ill]  MAKING  THE  18-LB.  BRITISH  SHRAPNEL  59 

the  shells  are  at  this  point  checked  up  by  the  Government  inspectors, 
and  to  insure  as  small  a  percentage  of  rejections  as  possible,  they  are 
prior  to  this  given  what  is  called  a  preliminary  inspection  by  the  shop 
inspectors. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  gaging  fixtures  used  is  that  for  determin- 
ing the  thickness  of  shell  walls  at  various  points.  This  consists  of  a 
holder  shown  in  operation  18.  This  fixture  is  made  so  as  to  locate  the 
shell  accurately  with  reference  to  two  finished  surfaces  that  serve  as 
bases  for  special  micrometers  to  rest  upon,  insuring  that  the  thickness  of 
wall  shall  be  gaged  in  each  case  at  similar  points. 

The  micrometers,  if  such  they  may  be  called,  are  also  unusual.  The 
measurement  is  not  made  by  means  of  a  screw,  but  by  plus  and  minus 
location  surfaces  on  the  sliding  spindle,  which  indicate  by  their  align- 
ment with  a  milled  recess  in  the  holding  sleeve.  The  register  of  these 
plus  and  minus  surfaces  can  be  felt  with  the  finger  nail  without  the 
necessity  of  looking  at  the  gage. 

The  Government  inspectors  have  been  forced  instinctively  to  adopt 
a  sort  of  motion  study  in  order  to  keep  up  with  their  work.  With  over 
40  inspections  on  each  shell  and  500  shells  per  day,  it  requires  a  great  deal 
of  activity  on  the  part  of  six  men  to  keep  up  the  20,000  necessary 
n;ieasurements.  As  a  result,  the  operation  has  become  very  specialized. 
The  inspectors  follow  one  another,  some  of  them  with  gages  in  each  hand, 
along  the  lines  of  shells  laid  out  on  benches.  It  is  a  question  as  to  how 
much  these  methods  which  have  resulted  from  having  to  get  the  job  done 
in  a  given  time  could  be  improved  by  actual  time  or  motion  study  made 
in  advance  of  the  work. 

The  Copper  Drive  Band. — The  copper  drive  band  is  a  very  important 
part  of  the  shell.  It  is  forced  into  the  rifled  grooves  of  the  field  piece, 
and  causes  the  shell  to  rotate  as  it  travels  through  the  air.  This  copper 
band  in  reality  imparts  the  spin  to  the  entire  shell  and  does  this  in  such  a 
short  interval  that  the  strain  to  which  it  is  subject  is  enormous.  There 
must  be  no  possibility  of  its  turning  on  the  shell.  This  is  the  reason 
for  the  peculiarly  waved  ribs  in  the  band  recess. 

The  drive  bands  in  the  rough  shape  are  simply  copper  rings  large 
enough  to  go  over  the  base  end  of  the  shell.  One  or  two  blows  of  a  ham- 
mer secures  them  from  falling  off  until  they  are  forced  down  into  the  recess 
by  the  band-crimping  press.  The  machine  used  for  this  purpose  at  the 
Ingersoll-Rand  plant  is  one  of  their  own  design.  The  crimping  dies  are 
actuated  by  toggles  connected  with  a  lever  arm  that  is  operated  by  a 
compressed-air  piston.  This  type  of  banding  press  appears  to  be  more 
convenient  than  the  horizontal  type,  in  which  the  weight  of  a  shell  must 
be  supported  at  arm's  length. 

The  drive  band  is  machined  to  a  very  peculiar  finished  shape.  This 
is  shown  in  operation  21,  which  also  indicates  the  process  by  which  the 


60  SHRAPNEL  [Sec.  I 

copper  band  is  turned  to  its  final  form.  The  lathe  on  which  this  operation 
was  observed  had  a  ''home-made"  forming  slide  attached  to  the  rear  of 
the  carriage.  This  slide  carried  a  tool  which  took  the  finishing  cut. 
Being  fed  tangentially  across  the  work  instead  of  straight  in  toward  the 
center,  this  tool  took  a  shearing  cut  and  distributed  the  heat  much  more 
than  a  radially  fed  forming  tool  would  do.  In  fact,  before  this  attach- 
ment was  used,  front  and  back  radial  forming  tools  were  employed, 
and  the  shell  became  so  hot  that  to  prevent  distortion  it  was  necessary 
to  fill  it  with  soda  water  previous  to  this  operation. 

Filling  the  Shell. — An  understanding  of  the  succeeding  few  operations 
in  which  the  shells  are  filled  will  be  helped  by  referring  to  Fig.  23.  Here 
are  shown  the  parts  to  which  reference  will  be  made  frequently.     The 


FIG.    23.       THE    POWDER   TUBE,    POWDER   CUP,    LEAD  BALLS,    STEEL   DISK,    FUSE    SOCKET 

AND    PLUG 

brass  powder  tube  having  a  shoulder  at  one  end  and  a  thread  cut  beneath 
it  is  shown  at  ^4..  At  B  is  the  tin  powder  cup  of  a  shape  to  fit  in  the  pow- 
der pocket,  and  at  C  the  3^-in.  lead  balls  which  are  used  in  this  size  of 
shell.  At  D  is  the  steel  drive  disk,  which  is  an  unfinished  drop  forging, 
and  at  E  the  brass  fuse  socket,  which  is  machined  from  a  brass  stamping. 
At  F  is  the  brass  plug,  which  is  made  from  a  casting.  All  of  these  parts, 
as  well  as  the  steel  shell  f orgings  are  furnished  to  the  plants  that  are  turn- 
ing out  shrapnel.  The  parts  A,  B,C,  D  and  F  are  in  finished  shape  when 
received  and  require  no  labor  other  than  that  of  assembling  them  into 
the  shell.  The  fuse  socket  E,  however,  after  becoming  a  part  of  the  shell, 
is  machined  as  shown  in  operation  27.  The  Canadian  shell  manufactur- 
ers who  perform  the  operations  described  in  this  article  furnish  only 
their  labor. 

It  is  somewhat  of  a  problem  to  the  uninitiated  to  figure  out  how  the 
tin  powder  cup,  which  goes  into  the  powder  pocket  underneath  the  steel 
disk,  can  be  introduced  after  this  disk  is  within  the  shell,  but  the  man  who 
is  doing  this  work  does  not  seem  to  find  it  difficult.  Proportions  and 
dimensions  are  so  figured  that  a  dexterous  movement  causes  the  steel 
disk  to  turn  a  somersault,  carrying  the  tin  powder  cup  with  it  to  its 
correct  position.     The  powder  cup  is,  of  course,  empty.     Later  on,  but 


Chap.  Ill]  MAKING  THE  18-LB.  BRITISH  SHRAPNEL  61 

not  at  this  plant,  it  is  to  be  filled  with  the  explosive  charge  which  will 
cause  the  shell  to  burst.  The  brass  powder  tube  makes  this  possible 
by  keeping  a  source  of  communication  open  between  the  fuse  socket  and 
the  tin  powder  cup. 

Lead  Balls  Embedded  in  Rosin.^ — The  Government  is  particular  to 
have  each  shell  inscribed  with  the  date  of  manufacture  and  the  initials 
of  the  plant  in  which  it  was  made.  This  is  done  upon  the  side  or  body 
of  the  shell,  and  for  this  purpose  the  Ingersoll-Rand  Co.  has  pressed  into 
use  the  inscription-rolling  machine  with  which  they  formerly  marked  the 
barrels  of  their  pneumatic  hammers.  That  it  is  well  adapted  for  this 
purpose  is  indicated  by  the  fact  that  the  man  who  operates  it  is  also  able 
to  take  care  of  inserting  the  tin  powder  cups  and  of  screwing  the  brass 
powder  tubes  into  the  disks  after  the  latter  have  been  driven  home  with 
blows  of  a  hammer. 

One  who  might  anticipate  difficulty  in  getting  a  full  measure  of  peas 
or  potatoes  on  account  of  their  not  settling  to  the  bottom  of  the  recep- 
tacle, would  not  expect  to  encounter  similar  trouble  in  connection  with 
shot.  But  it  exists,  and  for  that  reason  it  is  necessary  to  do  one  of  two 
things  to  get  the  required  number  of  balls  in  a  shrapnel  shell — either  put 
them  in  under  pressure  or  jar  them  down  by  vibration.  The  latter  plan 
has  been  adopted  as  cheaper,  and  a  molding  machine  vibrator  has  been 
'^ borrowed''  for  this  purpose  and  attached  to  a  small  round  table  upon 
which  the  shells  are  placed  while  being  filled  from  the  shot  box.  The 
funnel  which  is  used  to  introduce  the  shot  has  a  central  boss  with  a  hole 
in  it  that  serves  the  purpose  of  centering  the  free  end  of  the  brass  powder 
tube.  The  man  who  fills  the  shells  with  shot  must  also  give  them  a 
preliminary  weighing  to  be  sure  that  he  has  introduced  a  sufficient 
number. 

One  Reason  for  the  Rosin. — If  one  tries  to  imagine  the  action  of  a 
rapidly  rotating  hollow  shell  filled  with  round  balls  of  such  a  heavy  ma- 
terial as  lead,  one  can  see  a  very  good  reason  for  cementing  the  shell  and 
its  contents  into  one  solid  mass  by  means  of  rosin.  If  they  were  not  held 
homogeneously  by  some  such  material  as  this,  the  shell  would  perform 
very  peculiar  actions  during  its  flight  very  similar  to  those  of  a  ''loaded" 
ball  on  a  bowling  alley.  Another  reason  for  filling  up  the  air  spaces 
between  the  balls  is  that  it  gives  the  explosive  charge  less  room  to  expand 
and  therefore  bursts  the  shell  with  greater  force. 

The  men  who  fill  the  shells  with  rosin  also  take  care  of  the  final 
weighing.  They  are  allowed  to  make  up  the  weight  of  one  J^-in.  ball 
by  means  of  bucketshot;  this  giving  them  a  slight  margin  whereby  they 
can  correct  variations  in  the  weight  of  the  metal  parts.  This  weighing 
must  be  done  in  a  hurry,  for  the  shell  must  be  handed  to  another K)perator 
who  screws  home  the  fuse  socket  before  the  rosin  sets. 

Extreme  uniformity  of  weight  is  very  necessary  in  these  shells.     The 


62  SHRAPNEL  [Sec.  I 

fuse,  which  will  be  added  before  the  shells  are  fired,  is  graduated  in  J-^-sec. 
divisions,  each  of  which  corresponds  to  approximately  50  yd.,  becoming 
less,  of  course,  as  the  shell  nears  the  end  of  its  flight.  Therefore,  to  make 
range-finding  possible,  the  action  of  shells  of  the  same  caliber  must  be 
very  similar.  A  slight  difference  of  weight  would  be  fatal  to  accuracy. 
The  total  allowance  is  plus  or  minus  43^  drams,  making  a  total  tolerance 
of  a  little  over  }^  oz.  on  a  weight  of  18  lb. 

Soldering  60  Tubes  per  Hour. — Soldering  the  powder  tubes  to  the 
fuse  sockets  is  performed  by  laying  the  shells,  one  at  a  time,  upon  a 
rotating  ball-bearing  table  (operation  26),  placing  a  solder  ring  over  the 
outside  of  the  tube  where  it  projects  through  the  fuse  socket,  and  then 
completing  the  operation  by  holding  the  point  of  an  electric  soldering 
iron  within  the  tube  and  spinning  it  around  by  hand  until  the  solder 
melts.  Such  simple  helps  as  the  ball-bearing  table  and  the  solder  rings 
make  possible  the  soldering  of  60  tubes  per  hour. 

Final  Machining  Operation. — The  last  machine  operation  (operation 
27)  consists  of  finishing  off  of  the  protruding  part  of  the  fuse  socket, 
facing  off  the  powder  tube  and  removing  the  surplus  solder.  Sometimes 
it  is  necessary  to  clean  out  and  ream  the  powder  tubes  with  an  air  drill 
and  reamer,  but  if  not,  the  shells  go  direct  to  a  final  inspection,  after  the 
brass  plug  has  been  inserted  in  the  fuse  socket  and  fastened  with  a  grub 
screw. 

Painting  with  Bolt  Thread- Cutting  Machines. — Rotating  the  shells 
between  spring  cup  centers  of  bolt  threadcutting  machines  greatly 
expedites  the  painting  of  the  shells  in  the  Canadian  Ingersoll-Rand  Co. 
plant.  Two  machines  are  used  for  this  work,  one  for  applying  the 
priming  coat  and  the  other  the  finishing  coat. 

Boxing  for  Shipment. — After  the  newly  painted  shells  have  been 
allowed  to  dry  for  24  hr.  they  are  packed  in  substantial  wooden  boxes, 
holding  six  shells  each,  for  shipment  to  England.  These  boxes  are  of 
heavy  construction,  bound  together  by  iron  bands,  and  26  wood  screws 
are  used  for  each  box.  Sphced  rope  handles  are  provided  for  convenience 
and  safety  in  handling — see  operation  32. 


THE  DOUBLE-SPINDLE  FLAT  TURRET  LATHE. 

Economical  as  have  proved  the  methods  of  manufacture  employed 
in  the  plant  of  the  Canadian  Ingersoll-Rand  Co.,  munition  plants  which 
were  equipped  with  doublespindle  fiat  turret  lathes  fitted  up  these  ma- 
chines with  the  necessary  tool  accessories  for  shrapnel  work  with  such  ex- 
cellent results  that  a  description  of  the  operations  performed  on  such 
lathes  is  of  particular  interest. 

In  one  plant  where  the  machine  mentioned  was  observed,  it  had  been 
fitted  with  a  chuck  of  novel  design.     Ordinarily,  for  the  first  operation, 


Chap.  Ill]  MAKING  THE  18-LB.  BRITISH  SHRAPNEL  63 

the  shells  are  gripped  on  the  inside  by  means  of  an  expanding  arbor.  In 
this  case,  almost  unlimited  additional  driving  power  was  secured  by  the 
use  of  a  three-jaw  exterior-gripping  chuck.  Since  the  thickness  of  the 
shell  varies  in  the  rough  forging,  it  was  necessary  to  make  provision  so 
that  the  aUgnment  of  the  work  should  be  determined  by  the  inside  chuck- 
ing and  gripped  by  the  exterior  chuck  jaws  simply  in  conformity  to  this. 
This  was  accomplished  by  cutting  away  the  scroll  support  of  the  chuck 
so  that  in  reaUty  it  forms  a  floating  scroll  ring,  permitting  the  jaws  to 
accommodate  themselves  to  the  work  as  chucked  on  the  internal  arbor 
but  retaining  the  function  of  closing  together  when  the  scroll  is  turned. 

Three  main  operations,  the  first  two  performed  in  sequence  and  the 
third  after  the  shell  is  heat-treated,  the  disk  inserted  and  the  nose  end 
bottled,  are  performed  on  the  double-spindle  machine.  These  differ 
little  from  those  performed  on  single-spindle  machines,  but  can  be  per- 
formed much  more  expeditiously — the  production  of  cases  on  the  double- 
spindle  machine  averaging  some  60  per  cent,  greater  than  can  be  obtained 
on  the  single-spindle  machines  with  the  same  set-up.  Two  double- 
spindle  flat  turret  lathes  have  an  output,  including  all  three  operations, 
of  about  eight  shells  per  hour.  Briefly  outlined,  the  operations,  taken  in 
sequence,  are  as  follows: 

First  Operation. — 1.  Rough- turn  the  outside  diameter  of  shell  body. 

2.  Form  the  recess  and  shape  the  base  end  of  the  shell.  3.  Form  the 
waves.     4.  Undercut  the  recess  for  the  drive  band. 

Second  Operation  — 1.  Rough-bore  the  powder  pocket  and  turn  the 
nose-end  taper  for  bottling.  2.  Rough-bore  the  disk  seat.  3.  Finish- 
bore  the  powder  pocket.     4.  Finish-bore  the  disk  seat. 

Third  Operation. — 1.  Bore  the  nose  for  its  tap  hole  and  rough-turn 
the  nose  profile.     2.  Face  the  end  and  rough-form  the  inside  of  the  nose. 

3.  Finish-face  the  end  and  finish-form  the  inside  of  the  nose.  4.  Tap 
with  a  collapsible  tap. 

In  the  first  operation  (see  Fig.  24),  the  shell  is  held  by  the  nose  end, 
while  in  the  second  and  third  operations  (see  Figs.  25  and  26)  the  shell 
is  grasped  by  its  base.  In  each  of  the  four  positions  of  the  turret  in 
each  operation,  two  shells  are  worked  upon  at  the  same  time,  so  that  in 
the  three  main  operations,  necessitating  but  three  set-ups  of  the  work, 
twenty-four  separate  tasks  are  performed — twelve  on  each  shell.  This 
enables  a  shell  proper  to  be  completely  finished  in  about  fifteen  minutes. 


64] 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


Chap.  Ill] 


MAKING  THE  18-LB.  BRITISH  SHRAPNEL 


65 


x^—Kx  Finish  Bore  !*•— H 
l;      \\  Disk  Seat  \\      \ 


If       11 


a: 


O 


L 


Roug/iBoret 


Disk  Seat 


W 


FIG.    25. 


Collaps/b/e 


^'^^OPERATIOH 


FIG.    26. 


CHAPTER  IV 

TIN  POWDER  CUPS  FOR  18-LB.  BRITISH  SHRAPNEL i— PUNCH- 
ING STEEL  DISKS  FOR  BRITISH  SHRAPNEL  SHELLS^— 
THE    MANUFACTURE    OF    18-LB.     SHRAPNEL 
SHELL  SOCKETS  AND  PLUGS^— FROM 
BIRCH  LOG  TO  FUSE  PLUG^ 

The  powder  cups  which  hold  the  explosive  charge  for  shattering  the 
shrapnel  shell  and  scattering  the  load  of  lead  balls  fits  into  a  machined 
recess  in  the  base  of  the  shrapnel  shell.  These  cups  are  made  of  heavily 
coated  tin  and  are  connected  to  the  fuse  socket  by  a  brass  or  copper 
tube.  The  top  portion  of  the  cups  is  made  of  0.036-in.  stock  and  the 
bottom  portion  of  stock  0.022-in.  in  thickness. 

Drawing  the  Cup  Bottom. — The  bottom  of  the  powder  cup  is  com- 
pleted in  one  operation,  and  the  die-blanking  and  drawing  in  one  stroke 
of  the  press.     In  Fig.  27,  at  D  can  be  seen  the  shape  of  the  bottom  after 


FIG.    27.       STEPS  IX  THE  PIIOCESS  OF  MAKING  A  TIX  I'OWDEil  CUi' 

coming  from  the  press.  The  bottom  die  for  this  operation  is  shown  in 
Fig.  28.  Here  C  represents  the  die  itself;  A,  the  ejector,  and  D,  the  form 
block,  which  is  operated  by  four  pins  through  the  holes  B.  These  pins 
come  in  contact  with  a  rubber  stripper  underneath  the  press,  which  is 
of  the  usual  type.  The  upper  punch  is  shown  in  Fig.  29,  A  being  the 
punch  and  B  the  drawing  block.  These  punches  and  dies  complete  the 
bottom  portion. 

Forming  the  Top. — The  first  operation  on  the  top  requires  a  straight 
blanking-die,  and  as  this  is  an  every-day  proposition  I  have  not  illus- 
trated it. 

1  J.  H.  Moore. 

2  E.  A.  Suverkrop,  Associate  Editor,  American  Machinist. 
8  J.  H.  Moore. 

*  John  H.  "Van  Deventer,  Managing  Editor,  American  Machinist. 

66 


Chap.  IV]       TIN  POWDER  CUPS  FOR  18-LB.  BRITISH  SHRAPNEL 


67 


The  second  operation  dies  for  forming  the  top,  are  shown  in  Fig. 
30.  In  this,  A  represents  the  upper  form  punch;  B,  the  knockout  pin 
operated  from  the  upper  stripping  attachment  on  the  press,  and  C, 
the  lower  form  die  and  ejector.     The  illustration  shows  this  die  clearly. 


FIG.  28.      BOTTOM  DIE  USED  FOR  DRAWING 
THE    POWDER-CUP    BOTTOM 


29.       PUNCH  USED    IN    DRAWING 
POWDER-CUP  BOTTOM 


The  third  operation  is  the  piercing  of  the  top  hole  to  take  the  copper 
tube,  and  this  again  being  an  exceedingly  simple  operation  is  not 
illustrated. 

The  fourth  and  last  operation  is  that  of  making  the  small  flange  on 
top,  and  the  dies  shown  in  Fig.  31  will  clearly  illustrate  this  work,  A 

being  the  upper  form  punch  with 
the  flange-forming  punch  inserted; 
B,  the  lower  die,  and  C,  a  hole  of 
sufficient  diameter  to  allow  the 
forming  of  the  flange. 


I 1 


A 

I — 1 


FIG.  30.     PUNCH  AND  DIE  FOR  POWDER-CUP  TOP  FIG.  31.       FLANGING  TOOLS 


Referring  to  Fig.  27,  A  represents  a  blank  from  which  the  top  portion 
is  formed;  B,  the  blank  after  the  forming  operation;  and  C,  the  blank 
after  being  pierced  and  flanged.  The  finished  bottom  portion  is  illus- 
trated by  D  and  in  E  is  shown  a  finished  powder  cup. 

Assembling  the  Powder  Cup. — Power  presses  or  simple  lever  foot 
presses  are  used  for  assembUng  the  cups,  a  die  similar  to  that  shown  in 
^ig.  32  pressing  the  two  portions  together.     The  cups  are  then  soldered 


68 


SHRAPNEL 


(Sec.  I 


and  this  is  expeditiously  done  on  the  special  soldering  machine  shown  in 
Fig.  33. 

The  cups  are  spun  around  in  the  machine  and  the  soldering  operation 
consists  simply  in  holding  a  hot  soldering  iron  against  the  revolving  cup, 
the  necessary  solder  being  supplied  meanwhile.  A  releasing  attachment 
on  the  handle  B  enables  the  cups  to  be  rapidly  inserted  and  removed  so 
that  output  of  the  simple  machine  is  high. 


FIG.    32.       ASSEMBLING    THE 
TIN   CUP 


FIG.    33.      ELEVATION   OF   SOLDERING 
MACHINE 


Soldering  completes  the  operations  on  the  powder  cups  with  the 
exception  of  the  necessary  inspection,  as  the  loading  of  the  cups  is  done 
at  the  government  arsenals. 


THE  PROTECTING  STEEL  DISK 

Heavy  as  are  the  powder  cups  for  British  shrapnel  shells,  the  crush- 
ing force  caused  by  the  inertia  of  the  lead  balls,  etc.,  before  fracture  of 
the  shell  takes  place,  is  such  that  additional  protection  is  necessary  for 
these  containers  of  the  explosive  charge.  This  is  afforded  by  a  compara- 
tively heavy  steel  disk  of  a  good  grade  of  low-carbon  steel  which  is 
forced  into  the  shrapnel  shell  base  immediately  over  the  powder  cup. 

The  stock  from  which  the  disks  for  18-lb.  shrapnel  are  punched 
comes  in  bars  about  10  ft.  long,  2}^  in.  wide  and  approximately  i%2 
in.  thick.  Fig.  34  shows  the  various  stages  in  the  manufacture  of  the 
disks  as  performed  in  the  Dominion  Works  plant  of  the  Canadian  Car  & 
Foundry  Co.,  Montreal,  Canada,  the  first  three  of  which  are  performed 
with  the  metal  hot. 

First  Operation. — The  bars,  after  being  heated  to  a  medium  yellow 
in  an  oil-fired  reverberatory  furnace  of  the  regular  type,  are  presented 
to  the  press  one  at  a  time,  the  furnaceman  supporting  the  cold  end  of 
the  bar,  while  the  press  operator  locates  the  hot  end  over  the  die.  The 
two  men  can  punch  out  about  3,500  blanks  in  10  hr. 

The  press  die,  which  is  cooled  by  the  drippings  from  a  water  spray 
played  on  the  punch,  is  a  plain  cylindrical  one,  2}^  in.  in  diameter.  The 
punch  has  a  conical  end  in  the  middle  of  which  is  a  teat,  and  the  function 


Chap.  IV]       TIN  POWDER  CUPS  FOR  18-LB.  BRITISH  SHRAPNEL 


69 


70  SHRAPNEL  [Sec.  I 

of  this  tool,  aside  from  punching  out  the  blank,  is  to  raise  the  edges  of 
the  blank,  on  the  face  entering  the  die,  about  ^{q  in. 

The  operation  is  quite  severe  on  the  dies  and  punches,  particularly 
the  former.  An  average  die  will  produce  about  2,000  blanks  before  it 
requires  closing,  while  the  punches  stand  up  for  about  5,000  blanks. 

Second  Operation. — The  blanks  from  the  first  operation  are,  in  the 
second  operation,  reheated  and  squeezed  between  the  male  and  female 
dies  shown  at  H  and  /,  Fig.  34,  the  lower  die  throwing  up  the  boss  J. 

The  dies  in  this  operation  are  also  water  cooled,  and  made  of  the  same 
material  as  those  used  in  the  previous  operation,  and  are  usually  good  for 
from  6,000  to  7,000  pieces.  The  press,  as  in  the  first  operation,  runs 
continuously,  but  the  output  is  somewhat  less,  about  2,800  being  the 
average  production  for  10  hr. 

Third  Operation. — After  the  second  operation,  the  disks  are  tumbled 
to  remove  the  scale,  and  appear  as  shown  at  C,  Fig.  34.  The  blanks  are 
then  heated  for  the  last  time  and  are  subjected  to  a  coining  operation, 
the  plastic  steel  being  squeezed  between  the  upper  die  M  and  the  '^  knock- 
out" L  which  fits  into  the  bottom  of  the  lower  die  N,  see  Fig.  34.  A 
lever  inserted  in  the  slot  at  the  base  of  N  ejects  the  coined  disk  by  forcing 
up  the  '^ knock-out"  L. 

In  this  operation  the  dies  are  flooded  with  water,  and  a  vent  hole 
in  the  lower  die  provided  for  the  escape  of  the  steam  so  as  to  prevent 
possibility  of  fracture. 

The  dies  for  the  coining  operation  are  good  for  about  5,000  pieces 
each,  but  as  the  heated  blanks  can  be  handled  only  one  at  a  time  the  out- 
put of  the  press  is  somewhat  restricted,  about  1,700  disks  being  produced 
in  10  hr. 

Fourth  Operation. — After  the  coining  operation  the  work  has  a  clean 
*' bloom"  on  the  outside,  which  is  left  on;  that  is,  the  disks  are  not  tum- 
bled after  the  last  forging  operation. 

The  next  operation,  shown  at  X,  Fig.  35,  is  done  on  a  Jones  &  Lamson 
flat  turret  lathe.  The  machine  and  tools^are  shown  in  Fig.  32.  The 
work  A  is  held  in  an  ordinary  spring  collet.  The  flat  centering-drill 
B  is  first  brought  into  action  so  that  the  twist  drill  C  will  start  true. 
Finally,  the  tap  D  is  run  in.  In  operation,  the  attendant  chucks  a 
disk  with  the  small  part  of  the  taper  at  the  inner  end  of  the  collet. 
The  center  drill  B,  twist  drill  C  and  tap  D  are  run  in  in  rotation.  The 
tap,  however,  is  not  backed  out  by  power.  On  reaching  the  proper 
depth  the  machine  is  stopped  and  the  turret  drawn  back  with  the 
tapped  disk  still  on  the  tap.  The  operator  chucks  another  disk  and 
repeats  the  operations  as  before,  but  while  feeding  the  twist  drill  in  with 
his  right  hand,  with  the  left  he  removes  the  threaded  disk  from  the  tap. 

The  disk  must  be  carefully  chucked,  for  the  tube  which  screws  into 
it  must  be  square  with  the  seat,  otherwise  it  will  be  cocked  over  and 


Chap.  IV]       TIN  POWDER  CUPS  FOR  18-LB.  BRITISH  SHRAPNEL 


71 


trouble  would  ensue  when  the  shell  is  fired,  due  to  the  inertia  forcing  the 
disk  to  seat  properly,  with  resultant  distortion  of  the  tube  or  powder 
cup  or  both. 

On  this  operation  600  can  be  produced  in  10  hr. 

The  fifth  and  last  operation  is  performed  on  a  D.  E.  Whitton  double- 
spindle  centering  machine,  although  in  this  operation  only  one  spindle 
is  used. 

The  work  A  is  screwed  on  the  rotating  spindle.  The  spindle  and  work 
are  advanced  by  a  lever,  not  shown.     The  facing  cutter  B  removes  the 


f  I(?i&5ft---?a?j7il  ^ 


Ut/Z^J"  L2£l'-'- 


)k=  le  Threads, 
IC      Righ^  Hand 


I 1   %: 


LZ.59 


I 

i 

& 

5s 

-1 

a 

C 

D 

V 

L 

^ 

-.   1 

1 

1*^        II 

K 

FIG.    35.       MAKING     STEEL    DISKS     FOR    SHRAPNElJsHELLS 


shght  burr  raised  around  the  edge  in  the  last  forging  operation  by  the 
metal  entering  the  space  between  the  knock-out  and  the  lower  die, 
and  also  finishes  the  shght  flat  surface  required  on  the  lower  edge.  The 
operator  also  gives  the  other  edge  a  touch  with  a  file  to  remove  any  shght 
burr  formed  at  the  space  between  the  upper  and  lower  dies.  Pivoted  on 
the  pin  C  is  a  lever  D  with  the  front  end  provided  with  a  toothed  cam 
for  holding  the  disk  while  removing  it  from  the  spindle. 

The  production  of  the  burring  and  facing  operation  is  1,000  in  10  hr. 

Inspection  is  rigid  on  the  disks.  The  requirements  are  fairly  close, 
if  one  takes  into  consideration  the  way  the  pieces  are  produced.  The 
tolerance  of  0.02  in.  would  perhaps  be  considered  large  for  a  re-striking 
operation  in  an  uptodate  drop-forge  shop;  but  it  must  be  remembered 
that  this  is  an  ordinary  blacksmith  shop,  where  large  rough  work  has 
been  produced  and  the  machine  used  is  intended  for  the  usual  run^of 
plate  punching.  In  Fig.  35  are  shown  the  work,  in  section  with  dimen- 
sions, and  the  inspection  gages. 

The  gage  A  (about  \i  in.  thick)  at  E  is  for  ascertaining  the  shape 
and  diameter  of  the  disk  top  and  at  F  the  total  depth  of  the  disk.     The 


72 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  1 


dimensions  being  given,  the  application  of  the  various  gages  to  the  disk 
will  be  apparent. 

The  gage  B,  also  }i  in.  thick,  is  for  ascertaining  at  G  the  shape  and 
diameter  of  the  base  of  the  disk  (note  the  flats  in  the  corners  of  the 
openings  G^).  At  ^  the  thickness  of  the  edges  of  the  disk  is  gaged.  The 
gage  C  is  a  thread  gage  for  the  central  threaded  hole.  The  plug  gage  D 
is  for  the  recess  which  receives  the  top  of  the  powder  cup. 

Having  passed  these  inspections  a  tube  is  screwed  into  a  disk  J,  as 
shown  in  Fig.  35,  and  with  the  disk  J  resting  on  the  lower  level  of  the  two- 
surface  plate  K,  is  tested  for  squareness  with  the  square  L. 

Owing  to  the  inequality  in  thickness  of  commercial  bar  stock,  disks 
are  occasionally  found,  on  inspection,  to  be  too  thick.  These  are  re- 
turned to  the  smith's  shop  and  re-struck,  the  excess  of  metal  flowing 
into  the  tapped  hole  in  the  center,  from  which  it  is  removed  in  the  re- 
threading  operation. 

SHRAPNEL  SHELL  SOCKETS  FOR  18-POUNDERS 

The  socket  is  placed  in  the  mouth  of  the  shell  and  turned  to  the  desired 
shape.     It  is  made  from  a  very  cheap  alloy,  consisting  of  50  per  cent,  cop- 


m 

^^k 

^ 

^ 

1 

--■iV- 

^ 

K- 

-■?%"■ 

- 

--J 

_1 


r 

6" 

-H 

m    1  \    iil 

Y 

0 

(a) 


(6) 


O: 


Eiias      bie 


FIG.    36.      DETAILS   OP   18-LB.   SHRAPNEL-SHELL  SOCKETS 


per,  40  per  cent,  zinc,  and  2  per  cent.  lead.  This  metal  is  so  poor  that  it 
has  been  found  practically  impossible  to  make  satisfactory  castings.  They 
must,  therefore,  be  forged  to  the  desired  form  from  slugs.     For  this  pur- 


Chap.  IV]       TIN  POWDER  CUPS  FOR  18-LB.  BRITISH  SHRAPNEL 


73 


pose  a  300-ton  knuckle- jointed  press  is  used,  as  the  pressure  necessary 
to  complete  this  work  is  enormous.  A  dry  furnace  for  heating  is  generally 
used,  gas  being  the  heating  medium.  Some,  however,  prefer  the  lead  bath 
for  this  part  of  the  work.  Either  is  satisfactory,  though  the  gas  furnace 
is  a  shade  the  better,  as,  with  the  bath,  the  lead  usually  gets  into  the  dies. 
The  slugs  are  placed  in  this  furnace,  and  withdrawn  at  from  1,200  to  1,400 
deg.  F.  At  this  temperature  they  flow  easily  and  are  not  liable  to  rupture. 
In  Fig.  36(a)  is  shown  the  socket  before  and  after  forging.  The 
slug  is  2iJ'f 6  in.  diameter,  %  in.  thick  and  weighs  18  oz.  This  will 
give  some  idea  of  the  displacement  of  the  metal.  The  dies,  with  the 
exception  of  the  lower  bolster,  are  shown  in  detail  in  Figs.  36(6),  (c), 
(d)  and  (e).  The  lower  bolster  is  shown  in  (/).  In  (6)  is  indicated  the 
type  of  top  die,  or  punch  holder,  used,  while  (c)  illustrates  the  top  punch. 
In  (d)  the  lower  die  for  forming  is  shown,  and  in  (e),  the  ejector  block 
which  goes  into  this  die.  This  ejector  is  operated  on  by  an  ejector  rod, 
which  comes  through  the  hole,  A,  (d).  One  blow  completes  the  form,  and 
the  output  of  one  press  and  furnace,  with  two  men  working,  reaches 
approximately  4,000  per  20-hr.  day. 


(d)  (6)  (/) 

FIG.  37.   DETAILS  OP  18-LB.  SHRAPNEL-SHELL  PLUGS 


The  Fuse  Plug. — The  fuse  plug  is  the  portion  screwed  into  the  socket 
just  described.  It  is  made  from  the  same  alloy.  When  the  shells  are 
desired  for  use  in  actual  warfare,  this  plug  is  unscrewed  on  the  battle- 
field and  discarded. 


74  SHRAPNEL  [Sec.  1 

As  the  forging  of  this  piece  is  practically  the  same  as  that  described, 
the  dies  only  will  be  shown.  The  top  punch  holder  is  shown  in  Fig. 
37(a).  In  (6)  is  represented  the  outer  sub-punch,  to  which  is  added 
the  inner  sub-punch,  shown  in  (c) .  These  two  punches  are  screwed  into 
A,  (a).  The  small  square  punch  shown  at  B  in  (c)  is  made  from  high- 
speed steel  and  is  designed  for  easy  replacement,  as  a  great  many  break 
off  while  at  work.  In  (d)  is  shown  the  lower  form  die,  and  in  (e),  the 
ejector  block  with  ejector  pin  in  place.  The  bolster  plate  for  both  plug 
and  socket  dies  is  shown  in  Fig.  36(/),  the  reason  for  making  the  dies 
interchangeable  being  to  save  the  removal  of  this  piece  from  the  bed  of 
the  press.  In  Fig.  37(/)  is  shown  the  plug  before  and  after  forging, 
dimensions  and  weights  being  given. 

The  thread  shown  on  the  finished  work  is  not  done  in  the  forging 
operation,  but  is  produced  afterward  on  the  turret  lathe. 

BIRCH  LOG  FUSE  PLUGS. 

The  throwing  out  of  metal  plugs  on  the  battlefield  to  accommodate 
a  time  fuse  or  an  impact  detonator  results  in  the  loss  of  or  damage  to 
a  great  number  of  plugs;  it  scarcely  pays  to  collect  and  return  to  the 
manufacturer  of  shrapnel  those  found  undamaged.  Obviously  a  quite 
appreciable  waste  results,  notwithstanding  the  cheap  grade  of  alloy  of 
which  the  metal  fuse  plugs  are  made.  Here  then  was  an  excellent  prob- 
lem for  the  display  of  Yankee  ingenuity — one  economically  solved  by  the 
Estes  Co.  of  New  York  by  substituting  hard  wood  plugs  for  the  more 
costly  metal  ones. 

White  birch,  yellow  birch,  beech  and  hard  maple  have  been  proved 
to  withstand  successfully  exposure  to  climatic  conditions  without  defor- 
mation, and  serve  quite  as  well  as  a  protection  to  the  threads  of  the  fuse 
socket  and  for  closing  the  powder  tube  opening  as  did  the  metal  plugs. 
The  birch  which  has  been  utilized  by  the  Estes  Co.  comes  from  the  Berk- 
shire Mountains  where  is  also  located  a  wood  working  plant  owned  by 
that  company.  Proximity  to  the  source  of  raw  material  is  a  necessity 
for  a  plant  engaging  in  quantity  production  of  wooded  specialties  and 
it  is  often  cheaper  to  take  the  plant  to  the  trees  than  it  is  to  take  the  trees 
to  the  plant.  The  Estes  Co.  owns  its  forest  and  cuts  timber  according 
to  a  definite  rotation  plan  which  assures  a  constant  and  plentiful  supply 
of  timber — planting  and  cutting  taking  place  twenty  years  apart. 

Manufacturing  the  Birch  Log  Fuse  Plug  for  18-Lb.  Shrapnel. — The 
logs,  which  range  from  6  to  10  in.  in  diameter,  are  ripped  into  2%  in. 
strips  and  stacked  in  dry  kilns,  the  usual  process  of  air  seasoning  having 
had  to  be  accelerated  to  meet  the  enormous  demand  created  for  the 
plugs.  After  being  thoroughly  dried,  the  plugs  are  finished  to  the 
dimensions  shown  in  Fig.  38  in  six  operations — see  operations  1  to  6. 


Chap.  IV]       TIN  POWDER  CUPS  FOR  18-LB.  BRITISH  SHRAPNEL 


75 


0.315X-""\ 


^ 

FIG.    38.       PRINCIPAL    DIMENSIONS    OF    THE    WOOD    FUSE-HOLE    PLUG 


u 

t     ---'--=r~- 

— =^—  --:^ 

k    -=^"=" 

=—    __         \ 

^  V~^, 

f~-^^  -~ 

x^^ ^^ 

OPERATION    1.  OPERATION    2. 

OPERATION    1.       RIPSAWING    LOGS 

Machines  Used — Portable  ripsawing  outfits. 
Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — None. 

Production — Depends  on  size  of  logs  available.     Four  rip  cuts  taken  at  from  150 
to  200  ft.  per  minute. 

OPERATION    2.       KILN    DRYING 

Machines  Used — Dry  Kilns. 
Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — None. 


76 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


About  44' >' 

AboufZO"'       ______ 


Sec+ion  through   Sniper 
showing    Knives 


bawing  Sniping 

OPERATION  3.      CROSS-SAWING   AND   SNIPING 

Machines  Used — Combination  Sawing  and  Sniping  Bench. 
Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — None. 

Production — One  man  saws  and  snipes  both  ends  of  from  15,000  to  20,000  pieces 
per  day  of  10  hr. 


Chap.  IV]       TIN  POWDER  CUPS  FOR  18-LB.  BRITISH  SHRAPNEL 


77 


K AboLff  10' 


Z-g  Scfuare^ 


L994 


,ll,llllnniu,hJllh 


Conical  Driving  Chuck 


.■3000  R.PM. 


Swing  Shp^ 


,'Back  Tool  Holder 
C 


Headsfock 


rurning)   IVformina  ^^c/n^  Coffer 
Knife^'  [ll]  Tool  ^ 

W17         -r         I,  Tnilcf-nrlr 


Arrangemenf  of  Work  ar\d       '^^^nee  Treadle 
Tools  in  Turning  Lcpj+he 


Tailsfock 
FeedLever^ 


Sequence    of   Opercitions 


Action  of  For*nning 
and  Cut-Off  Tools 

OPERATION  4.      TURN  PLUGS 


Machines  Used — Special  forming  and  turning  lathes. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Turning  Knife  A;  facing  cutter  B;  beveling  tool  C; 
forming  Tool  D;  cutoff  tool  D,  special  conical  cup-screw  chuck. 
Gages — Ring  gage  for  diameter  of  threaded  part. 
Production — One  lathe  and  one  operator,  8,000  pieces  per  day  of  10  hr. 


78 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


4"Diam. 


OPERATION  5.       SLOTTING 

Machine  Used — Saw  head  and  cross-slide. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — 4-in.  cross-cut  saw  A;  sliding  wood  chuck  block  B; 
position  stop  C. 

Production — From  one  man  and  one  machine,  15,000  pieces  per  day. 


i 

=^ 

_ 

n       1 

1 

-r 

1 

--££ 

1 

1  'i 

III 

=Z1 

ffF 

== 

CJ^,(M 

=jM 

1          ''/' 
M            III 

Mn 

^ 

"^'        1 

mrl~Z\Ji  t 

U-   4 

imiiiiiitim;mmm!uMiiiimmiiimiim^!n^^^^ 

A-Threading  Tool 


eooR.m 


Arrangemen+  of  Work  and  Tools 
in  Threading  Machine 


Jhe^Nuf 


OPERATION    6.       CUT    THREAD 

Machines  Used — Special  threading  machine. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Square  notched  threading  tool  A;  special  self-acting 
chuck. 

Gages — Ring  thread  gage  for  thread. 

Production — From  one  man  and  one  machine,  15,000  pieces  per  day. 


Chap.  IV]       TIN  POWDER  CUPS  FOR  18-LB.  BRITISH  SHRAPNEL  79 

Following  the  seasoning  of  the  logs,  they  are  cut  into  lengths  ranging 
from  20  in.  to  24  in.  and  of  ''sniping"  or  coning  the  ends  of  these  sticks  to 
fit  the  cone-shaped  lathe  chucks  and  the  steadyrests.  One  operator 
takes  care  of  both  steps  in  this  operation  and  completes  a  stick  in  less 
than  2  sec. 

Five  cutting  tools  are  combined  in  the  fourth  operation,  in  which  the 
sniped  stick  is  turned  into  plug-blanks  at  the  rate  of  8,000  per  day  for 
one  machine  and  one  operator.  One  end  of  the  stick  is  introduced  into 
a  conical  chuck  threaded  upon  the  inside,  which  grips  by  cutting  threads 
upon  the  conical  end  of  the  stick  placed  within  it,  thus  forming  a  most 
secure  combined  drive  and  holdback.  The  other  conical  end  is  placed 
in  the  steadyrest. 

This  rest  has  a  number  of  functions.  It  carries  three  tools — a  turn- 
ing tool  for  reducing  the  square  stock  to  round,  a  forming  tool  that  pro- 
duces a  large  part  of  the  plug  profile,  and  the  cutting-off  tool  that  severs 
the  completed  blank  from  the  stick.  In  making  the  plug,  the  steady 
head  is  first  fed  along  the  lathe  shears  toward  the  headstock,  thus  expos- 
ing sufficient  of  the  rounded  stock  through  the  circular  rest  opening  to 
allow  of  making  one  plug.  The  tailstock  spindle  is  next  advanced  by 
means  of  a  hand  lever,  bringing  the  facing  tool  and  the  beveling  back- 
tool  into  contact  with  the  plug.  By  pressing  a  knee-treadle,  the  lathe 
hand  next  brings  up  the  forming  tool,  which  swings  on  a  pivot,  into  con- 
tact with  the  work.  This  same  movement  next  causes  the  cutting-off 
tool  to  rise  and  completes  the  operation  by  detaching  the  plug. 

The  method  of  cutting  the  screw  slot,  which  is  done  in  the  fifth  opera- 
tion, is  quite  similar  to  that  employed  in  slotting  metal  screw-heads. 
A  saw  is  used  for  this  purpose,  illustrated  at  A  in  operation  5.  The  plug, 
which  rests  in  a  simple  chucking  block,  is  pushed  against  the  saw  until 
the  sliding  block  strikes  the  stop  C.  Fifteen  thousand  pieces  per  day 
from  one  machine  and  one  operator  is  the  usual  production. 

The  method  of  making  chucking  fixtures  such  as  used  in  this  opera- 
tion is  quite  simple.  It  consists  in  roughing  out  a  recess  in  the  block  a 
little  larger  than  the  piece  to  be  held,  then  securing  the  piece  in  the  proper 
position  and  pouring  melted  lead  around  it. 

Cutting  the  threads,  the  last  operation  in  the  manufacture  of  the  fuse 
plugs,  is  performed  on  a  simple  type  of  lathe,  illustrated  in  Fig.  39.  The 
head  and  tail  stock  of  this  machine  swing  upon  a  pivot  C,  the  tailstock 
serving  simply  to  hold  the  fuse  plug  in  the  chuck.  Geared  to  the  head 
spindle  is  the  feed  screw  D.  After  the  plug  is  placed  within  the  chuck 
and  held  by  the  advanced  tailstock  spindle,  the  operator  presses  down 
upon  the  tailstock  lever,  thus  swinging  the  head  and  the  tailstock  on  the 
pivot  C,  so  that  the  feed  screw  comes  in  contact  and  engages  with  the 
single-thread  bronze  nut  E,  and  at  the  same  time  the  cutting  tool  A 
comes  into  proper  relation  with  the  blank  to  begin  its  cut.     The  action  is 


80 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


Chap.  IV]  TIN  POWDER  CUPS  FOR  18-LB.  BRITISH  SHRAPNEL 


81 


exactly  similar  to  threading  with  a  single-point  lathe  tool.  In  the  time 
that  it  has  taken  to  read  the  description  of  this  operation,  the  man  running 
it  would  have  completed  some  40  or  50  plugs,  for  he  turns  out  15,000  in 
10  hr. 

K  ^'.>-  ;f4  Threads  per  In.  Whifmrfh 

\ 


Slo+   Gage  (S+eel} 


Thread  Gage  (Brass) 


Profile  of  Head  and 
XcxT^'Q.  Diameter  (S+eel) 

FIG.    40.      GAGES   USED   IN  INSPECTING   WOODEN   FUSE-HOLE   PLUGS 


i^^Thread   Blank 
Diameter 


FIG.    41.      DIE    USED    IN    ALTERNATE    THREADING    METHOD 

Inspection  of  Fuse  Plugs. — Accuracy  within  quite  narrow  limits 
is  required  of  the  wooden  fuse  plugs,  and,  though  the  inspections  and 
gagings  are  not  as  frequent  as  in  the  case  of  metal  plugs,  they  are  never- 
theless insisted  upon.     Fig.  40  illustrates  a  set  of  template  gages  and 


82  SHRAPNEL  [Sec.  I 

thread  gage  used  for  the  various  inspections  and  very  Httle  variation  is 
permitted,  even  though  the  material  worked  is  wood. 

An  Alternate  Method  of  Threading  the  Plugs. — A  western  plant  also 
engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  wooden  fuse  plugs  performs  the  thread 
cutting  operation  in  quite  a  different  manner  from  the  one  used  by  the 
Estes  Co.  It  is  in  reality  a  die  threading  process.  The  die  block  A, 
Fig.  41,  contains  a  hole  having  a  continuous  thread  represented  at  B 
interrupted  only  for  the  admission  of  the  two  tools  C  and  D.  The  front 
tool  C  makes  the  preliminary  cut  and  is  followed  by  the  threads  B, 
which  form  a  lead  for  the  die.  The  rear  tool  D  cleans  out  the  rear  threads 
which  are  sometimes  left  a  trifle  rough  by  the  leading  tool  C. 


CHAPTER  V 

THREE-INCH  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL i— MAKING  3-IN.    RUSSIAN 
SHRAPNEL  IN  A  PUMP  SHOP^ 

With  its  much  higher  muzzle  velocity  requiring  extreme  accuracy  in 
all  dimensions  and  weights,  Russian  3-in.  shrapnel  presents  quite  a  differ- 
ent manufacturing  proposition  from  that  of  the  British  18-pounder. 

The  Russian  requirements  are  extremely  strict,  yet  the  American 
manufacturer  has  successfully  undertaken  the  work  in  30  main  operations, 
including  the  boxing  of  the  finished  shells  for  shipment.  Certain  modi- 
fications in  the  regular  Russian  specifications  have  had  to  be  made  in 
order  to  realize  the  output  required  under  the  contracts,  it  is  true,  but 
the  work  has  been  performed  in  a  manner  satisfactory  to  the  Russian 
government  at  a  rate  exceeding  a  completed  shell  every  2)-^  min., 
and  that  in  a  shop  where  the  manufacture  of  ammunition  was  a  new 
departure. 

Neglecting  fine  subdivisions,  the  various  steps  in  producing  a  finished 
Russian  shell  at  this  plant  are  as  follows:  The  forgings  on  receipt  are 
given  the  continuous  total  count,  heat  lots  are  separated  and  counted  and 
the  shells  are  then  cut  off  at  both  ends.  This  preliminary  work  is  followed 
by  rough-turning  and  inside  finishing,  after  which  come  the  heat-treating 
operations.  After  these  come  the  outside  base  finishing  and  band  groov- 
ing, followed  b}^  either  the  base  grinding  or  nosing,  which,  although 
consecutive  operations,  are  often  reversed  in  order  to  accommodate 
shop  conditions.  Next,  the  heat-lot  number,  which  has  been  removed 
by  machining,  is  stamped  upon  the  finished  base  of  the  shell,  which  then 
goes  to  the  chucking  lathes  to  have  its  nose  end  threaded  and  formed. 
The  body  profile  is  next  turned,  followed  by  a  filing  and  polishing  opera- 
tion, after  which  the  shells  are  washed  inside  and  out  and  delivered  to 
the  Government  inspectors  for  the  first  inspection.  This  test  is  succeeded 
by  inside  painting,  the  diaphragm  is  next  inserted  and  the  copper  bands 
are  pressed  on.  The  shells  are  loaded  with  bullets  and  smoke  powder, 
the  fuse  cap  is  screwed  in,  the  brass  plug  inserted  and  the  spaces  between 
the  lead  balls  filled  with  rosin,  after  which  the  standard  weight  is  estab- 
lished. Next,  the  rosin  filling-holes  are  plugged  and  riveted,  and  the 
shells  go  to  a  series  of  high-speed  sensitive  drill  spindles  which  drill  and 
tap  for  the  cap-holding  screws,  which  are  then  inserted  and  riveted  over. 
The  operation  which  follows  is  that  of  turning  the  copper  band  to  its 
finished  size  and  forming  the  nose  end  of  the  cap.     This  step  is  followed 

1  John  H.  Van  Deventer,  Managing  Editor,  American  Machinist. 

2  Ethan  Viall. 

83 


84 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


Chap.  V] 


THREE-INCH  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL 


86 


by  nose  filing  and  polishing,  which  is  succeeded  in  turn  by  a  final  cleaning 
and  the  last  Government  inspection.  The  accepted  shells  are  lacquered, 
the  zinc  plugs  inserted  and  the  shells  boxed  for  shipment.  Many  of 
these  operations,  as  will  be  noticed  by  following  the  operation  schedule, 
are  still  further  subdivided. 


Machines  Used 
— C  o  c  h  ra  n  e-B  1  y 
No.  2-B  saws. 

Special  Fixtures 
and  Tools — 15-in. 
saw  blades  A,  }i  in. 
thick,  ^in.  pitch; 
regular- type  hold- 
ing-down block  B; 
adaptation  of  reg- 
ular length  stop  C. 

Gage  s — None 
necessary  after 
length  stop  is  cor- 
rectly set. 

Production — 20 
to  25  per  hr.  per  ^==Ji^^^i^ 
machine  (on 
double-shell  opera- 
tion). One  man 
can  run  4  to  6 
saws.  Cut  requires 
33^  min. 

Note — Saws  cut 
at  40  ft.  per  min. 
Blades  require 
changing,  on  an 
average,  every  7  hr. 
Cincinnati  Bick- 
ford  No.  10  auto- 
matic saw  sharp- 
ener used  for  re- 
grinding.  Soap- 
water  lubrication 
used.  When  run 
double,  as  shown, 
the  succeeding 
operation  is  elimi- 
nated. 


OPERATION   1.      CUT  OFF  BASE  END 


86 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


OPERATION  2.       CUT  OFF  FUSE  END 

Machines  Used — Hurlbut-Rogers  4-in.  cutting-off  machines. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Stop  collar  A  in  spindle  for  positioning  shell,  front 
cutting  head  B. 

Gages — None. 

Production — 40  per  hr.  per  machine.  One  operator  to  each  machine.  Cut  re- 
quires 1  min. 

Note — Cutting  speed,  90  ft.  per  min.  Front  tool  only  is  used.  Feed  (through 
belt  and  worm)  approximates  0.003  in.  per  revolution. 


Chap.  V] 


THREE-INCH  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL 


87 


Floating  Chuck  a}r\d 
Expanding  Arbor 


W 


OPERATION   3.       ROUGH-TURN  BASE   END 

Machines  Used — Special-purpose  chucking  lathes. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Floating  shell  chuck  A,  internal  expanding  arbor  B, 
roller  back-rest  box  turning-tool  C. 

Gages — Go  and  not  go  snap  gage;  limits,  3  to  3.01  in. 

Production — From  25  to  30  per  hr.  from  one  machine  and  one  operator. 

Note — Cutting  speed,  75  to  90  per  min. ;  feed,  ^-g  in.  Cut  requires  ^^  min.  Soap- 
water  lubrication  used.  The  forging  is  located  in  chucking  position  by  the  interior 
mandrel  and  then  gripped  by  the  floating  chuck  pins  as  an  additional  drive. 

Reference — Chucking  lathe,  shown  in  Fig.  43. 


88 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


Sequence  of 
Operations 


B  Cp^"  !       ^     131 


M    Cages  for 
Interior 


Turret  Stations 
and  Tooling 


Gage  for  fixterior  '-^ — ^"^ 

OPERATION  4.      BORE  AND  REAM 

Machines  Used — Special-purpose  chucking  lathes. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Special  shell  chuck  A.  Cutting  tools:  1 — Powder- 
pocket  roughing  cutter  B,  roughing  cutters  C  and  D  for  reamer,  outside  turning  tool 
E.  2 — Rough  step  cutter  F  for  powder  pocket  and  diaphragm  seat,  facing  tool  G. 
3 — Finishing  step  cutter  H  for  powder  pocket  and  diaphragm  seat.     4 — Reamer  J. 

Gages — Double-end  hmit  plug  gage  K  for  diameter  of  powder  pocket,  double- 
end  limit  plug  gage  L  for  diameter  of  diaphragm  seat,  special  limit  gage  M  for  depth 
of  powder  pocket,  snap  gage  O  for  diameter  of  open  end. 

Production — 12  per  hr.  from  one  machine  and  one  operator. 

Note — Cutting  speed,  70  ft.  per  min.  Hand  feed  used  on  all  suboperations  except 
No.  1.     Reaming  speed,  45  ft.  per  min. 

Reference — Chucking  lathe,  shown  in  Fig.  43. 


Chap.  V] 


THREE-INCH  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL 


89 


OPERATION    5.      HARDEN 

Machines  Used — Equipment  of  Strong,  Carlisle  &  Hammond  No.  118  crude-oil 
fired  muffle  furnaces,  blast  from  Root's  positive  blower;  water-cooled  oil-quenching 
tanks  B;  oil  circulation  supplied  by  rotary  pump  C. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — 6-  and  8-ft.  shell  tongs  D,  wire-mesh  tank  basket  E, 
overhead  trolley  and  hoist  F. 


90  SHRAPNEL  [Sec,  I 

Gages — None.     Pyrometers  to  control  furnace  temperature. 

Production — From  each  furnace,  one  batch  of  50  shells  every  35  to  45  min.  Three 
men  required  to  handle  each  heat.  One  man  pulls  out  the  heated  shells  with  the  long 
tongs  while  the  other  two  dip  them. 

Note — Furnace  temperature  maintained  at  1,420  deg.  F. 


OPERATION   6.       DRAW 

Machines  Used — Equipment  of  two  Strong  Carlisle  &  Hammond  No.  118 
oil-fired  muffle  preheating  furnaces  and  one  Frankfort  No.  2  crude-oil  fired  lead  pot. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Eight-spindle  shell  crib  attached  to  melting  pot. 

Gages — Scleroscope  hardness  tester.     Hardness  ranges  from  40  to  46. 

Production — From  one  pot,  using  alternate  preheating  furnaces,  three  men  draw 
2,500  shells  per  day  of  10  hr.  One  man  takes  shells  from  preheating  furnaces,  placing 
them  in  the  pot.  The  second  man  operates  the  hoist  and  turns  the  crib.  The  third 
man  takes  shells  from  the  pot  and  places  them  on  the  truck.  An  additional  man  is 
required  to  operate  the  scleroscope,  and  one  man  (the  foreman,  regulates  tempera- 
tures and  sees  that  trucks  keep  moving. 

Note — The  preheating  furnaces  heat  the  shells  to  940  deg.  F.  The  lead  pot 
raises  this  to  the  drawing  point,- 1,040  deg.  F. 


Chap.  V] 


THREE-INCH  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL 


91 


Expanding  Arbor 
and  Floating  Chuck 


OPERATION   7.       FINISH    FORM  BASE    END 

Machines  Used — Special-purpose  chucking  lathes. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Special  floating  chuck  A,  hand-wheel-operated,  ex- 
panding arbor  B  for  gripping  internally. 

Cutting  Tools — 1 — Roller-back-rest  turner  C.  2 — End-facing  tool  D,.  groove- 
forming  tool  E.     3 — Recess  undercutting  tools  F  and  G.     4 — Knurling  tool  H. 

Gages — ^Limit  snap  gages  for  diameters  of  base  and  groove,  limit  templet  gage  for 
undercut  and  location  of  groove  from  base. 

Production — From  one  machine  and  one  operator,  12  per  hr.  Cutting  speed,  75 
ft.  per  min.     Hand-lever  longitudinal  and  cross-slide  feeds. 

Note — Soap-water  lubrication  used.  This  operation  brings  the  base  end  of  shell 
to  a  finish.  The  forming  tool  E  by  careful  handling  will  stand  a  day's  run.  The  end- 
facing  tool  D  is  operated  in  connection  with  the  crossf eed  on  tool  E  for  cutting  to  the 
center  of  the  shell. 

Reference — Special-purpose  lathe,  shown  in  Fig.  43. 


92 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


Chap.  V] 


THREE-INCH  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL 


93 


Machine  Used — Gardner  No.  4  double-disk  grinder. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Regular  equipment  used.  Vee-block  for  shell  A, 
length  stop  B. 

Gages — Straight-edge  to  test  base  for  flatness.  Swing  gage  to  test  for  thickness 
of  base  C. 

Production — One  machine  with  two  operators  can  grind  the  bases  of  250  shells 
per  hr. 

Note — This  operation  is  performed  both  dry  and  wet.  The  use  of  a  coolant  is 
not  necessary,  as  the  amount  of  metal  removed  is  only  one  or  two  thousandths  of  an 
inch.  The  heat-lot  number  is  replaced  on  the  shell  base  after  grinding.  This  opera- 
tion and  the  following  operations  are  often  reversed  in  sequence  to  suit  shop  conditions. 


OPERATION  9.      BOTTLING  AND  ANNEALING 

Machines  Used — Watson-Stillman  hydraulic  punching  press  A,  Frankfort  crude- 
oil  fired  lead  pot  B,  galvanized-iron  anneaUng  trays  C. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Distance  stops  D,  heading  die  E,  locating  piece  F. 

Gages — None. 

Production — Two  men,  with  one  lead  pot  and  one  press,  head  and  anneal  240 
shells  per  hr. 

Note — Flake  mica  used  for  annealing. 


49 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


\lU.'>llll'l/ll/,llt..lH!. 


HL 

:-..-- 

A 

Chuck 



Turret  Stations 
ar\d  Toolinq 


OPERATION    10.      BORE,    FACE,     TURN    AND    TAP    NOSE 

Machines  Used — Special-purpose  chucking  lathes. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Special  shell  chuck  A.  Cutting  tools:  1 — Tool  for 
rough-boring  thread  seat  B,  rough-facing  tool  C.  2 — Finish  cutter  D  for  thread 
seat  and  facing  end.  3 — Collapsing  tap  E.  4 — Turning  and  forming  tools  G  and 
H,  roller  rest  J. 

Gages — Thread  gage  K,  go  and  not  go;  templet  for  profile  L. 

Production — From  one  man  and  one  machine,  18  per  hr. 

Note — Soap-water  lubrication  used.  The  third  and  fourth  suboperations  may 
be  reversed  in  sequence  if  desired.  The  form  of  Whitworth  thread  prevents  injury 
to  threads  in  nose  by  the  roller  rest  in  the  sequence  as  shown. 

Reference — Special-purpose  chucking  lathe,  shown  in  Fig  43. 


Chap.  V 


THREE-INCH  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL 


05 


OPERATION    11.       FINISH-TURN   BODY 


Machines  Used — Special  16-in.  engine  lathes  fitted  with  form  templets  for  guiding 
crossfeed  travel  A. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Special  split  collet  chuck  B,  special  ball-bearing  thrust 
tailstock  plug  C,  feed  templet  D. 

Gages — ^Limit  snap  gages  for  roughing  and  finishing. 

Production — One  operator  running  two  lathes  finishes  20  shells  per  hr. 

Note — No  lubrication.     Cutting  speed,  118  ft.  per  min.     Feed  per  min.,  3  in. 


96 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


OPERATION    12.      PILE    AND    POLISH 

Machines  Used — Special  polishing  lathes  A,  with  spring-actuated  tailstock  spindles 
B. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Cup  chuck  C  for  base  end  of  shell;  ball-bearing  tail 
center  D,  same  as  used  on  body-finishing  lathes  in  operation  11. 

Gages — ^Limit  snap  gages  for  bourrelet  and  body.  Body  limits,  2.955  to  2.960 
in.     Bourrelet  limits,  2.977  to  2.980  in. 

Production — From  one  machine  and  one  operator,  20  per  hr. 

Note — Body  and  bourrelet  are  both  filed  and  then  polished  with  emery  cloth, 
from  Ho 00  to  %ooo  in.  having  been  left  for  this  operation. 


Chap.  V] 


THREE-INCH  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL 


97 


98 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


Machines  Used — Hand  operations. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — For  suboperation  4,  a  special  cast-iron  expanding 
and  riveting  block  D. 

Gages — For  suboperation  2,  a  go  and  not  go  plug  gage  A.  For  suboperation  3, 
a  ring  gage  B. 

Production — No  definite  rate  can  be  put  on  this  or  the  succeeding  hand  operation 
No.  16.  One  man  and  two  boys  easily  handle  both  operations  for  2,500  shells  per  10 
hr. 

Note — The  red  lead  is  applied  just  previous  to  operation  15  and  after  the  asphal- 
tum  paint  has  dried. 


OPERATION    14.      BLOW   OUT  AND   PAINT  INSIDE   OP  SHELL 

Machines  Used — Spray  Engineering  Co.'s  compressed-air  shell-painting  machine  A. 
Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Portable  drying  racks  B. 
Gages — None. 

Production — One  machine  will  coat  the  interior  of  250  to  400  shells  per  hour, 
depending  on  the  method  of  handling. 


Chap.  V] 


THREE-INCH  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL 


99 


OPERATION  15,   PUT  ASSEMBLED  DIAPHRAGM  AND  TUBE  IN  SHELL 

Machines  Used — Hand  operation. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — None. 

Gages — None. 

Production — Included  in  operation  14. 

Note — The  assembled  diaphragm  and  tubes  are  simply  dropped  in  by  hand.  They 
must  fit  loosely,  and  tight  ones  are  rejected.  The  succeeding  operation,*crimping  the 
drive  band,  must  not  cause  the  shell  to  pinch  the  diaphragm,  and  this  acts  as  a  check 
on  the  distortion  of  shell  wall  due  to  crimping. 


100 


SHRAPNEL 

OPERATION   16.      SET  OR  CRIMP   DRIVE  BAND 


[Sec.  I 


Machines  Used — West  hydraulic  band-crimping  machine  A,  6  plungers  6  in.  in 
diameter,  operated  from  accumulator. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — None. 

Gages — None.  The  test  for  crimping  is  made  by  tapping  the  band  with  a  light 
hammer. 

Production — One  machine  and  one  operator  produce  from  30  to  40  pieces  per  hour. 

Note — A  maximum  unit  pressure  of  1,000  lb.  per  square  inch  is  required. 


kdk^l 


Loading 


Pressing 
^0^*^  Compressing  Device 

operation    17.      LOAD    WITH   BALLS   AND    SMOKE    POWDER 

Machines  Used — Hand  operation  with  exception  of  arbor  press  C  for  pressing  the 
balls  into  the  shell. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools— Ball  presser  and  guide  D. 

Gages — None. 

Production — Three  men  and  two  arbor  presses,  250  shells  per  hr. 

Note. — Five  rows  of  balls  are  first  inserted,  then  13  drams  5  grains  of  a  smoke 
powder  composed  of  55  parts  of  metallic  antimony  and  45  parts  of  magnesium. 


Chap.  V] 


THREE-INCH  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL 


101 


Weighing  Inserting  a  Ball  Testing  Powder-Tube 

OPERATION  18.   START  FUSE  SOCKET  AND  MAKE  WEIGHT 

Machines  Used — Hand  operations. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Brush  E  for  smearing  grease  in  threads;  drift  H  for 
inserting  balls. 

Gages — Scales  G  for  weight;  rod  J  for  testing  powder  tube. 

Production — Three  men  take  care  of  250  shells  per  hour. 

Note — Weight  at  this  operation  is  held  to  13  lb.  5.6  oz.  plus  or  minus  the  weight 
of  one  of  the  small  lead  balls. 


102 


SHRAPNEL 


ISec.  1 


OPERATION   19.       SCREW  DOWN  FUSE  SOCKET 

Machines  Used — Hand  operation. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Hinged  chuck  vise  mounted  on  pedestal;  double- 
ended  screw-plug  wrench  with  guide  to  fit  powder  pocket. 

Gages — None. 

Production — One  man  screws  down  from  40  to  60  sockets  per  hour. 

Note — The  production  rate  is  variable,  caused  by  the  variation  of  threads  on  the 
fuse  sockets  as  received. 


Chap.  V] 


THREE-INCH  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL 


103 


Corks  for 
M  Powder -Tubes 


Bench-Vise  6age  for  Copper  Plug  • 

OPERATION   20.      INSERT  COPPER  PLUGS   AND   CORKS   AND   TEST  COPPER-PLUG  SEATING 

Machines  Used — Hand  operations. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Special  plug  screwdriver  L,  with  pilot  extension  to 
fit  powder  tube;  hinged  chuck  N  used  as  a  bench  vise  in  order  to  provide  ample  hold- 
ing power. 

Gages — Limit  snap  gage  O,  to  test  depth  and  squareness  of  copper-plug  seating. 

Production — Two  men  handle  from  175  to  250  shells  per  hour. 

Note — Variations  in  the  threads  varies  production  rate. 


104 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


Chap.  V] 


THREE-INCH  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL 


105 


Machines  Used — Hand  operations. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Wooden  plugs  Q  for  fuse  sockets;  rosin  kettles  R 
and  S,  fitted  with  force  pumps. 

Gages — Scales  for  checking  weight,  shown  at  V. 

Production — One  operator  at  each  kettle  can  produce  50  to  60  loaded  shells  per 
hour. 

Note — The  rosin  kettles  are  gas-fired  and  are  provided  with  handy  tapping  device. 


Heating    Screws         Inserting  Screws 


Driving  Screws        Snipping  Screw-Heads  Riveting 

OPERATION  22.      INSERT  PLUGGING  SCREWS,  SNIP  HEADS  AND  RIVET 

Machines  Used — Hand  operations. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Heating  pan  and  gas  burner  W;  tweezer  pliers  X; 
Yankee  screwdriver  Y;  hand  snips  Z. 

Gages — None. 

Production — Two  men  insert  screws,  screw  down,  snip  heads  and  rivet  250  shells 
per  hour. 


106 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


Square  index 
Block 


Method  of  CenVenng  Shell 

OPERATION    23.      DRILL    AND    TAP    FOR    HOLDING    SCREWS 


Machines  Used — Three-spindle  sensitive  drills. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Stationary  centering  fixture  A;  square  index  block  B. 

Gages — None. 

Production — From  one  operator  and  one  machine,  30  shells  per  hr. 

Note — Speed  for  drilling  and  tapping,  1,200  r.p.m.;  reversing  tapping  chuck  used. 
Countersink  with  No.  11  and  drill  ^^2  in.  for  tapping;  turpentine  and  white  lead  used 
as  tap  lubricant.     Drills  are  run  dry. 


Chap.  V] 


THREE-INCH  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL 


107 


DriYin9  Screws  Snipping  Heads  Riveting 

OPERATION    24.      INSERT    HOLDING    SCREWS,    SNIP    AND    RIVET 

Machines  Used — Hand  operations. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Special  wood-block  bench  vise  A;  Yankee  screwdriver 
B;  hand  shears  C;  hammer  D. 
Gages — None. 
Production — From  three  men,  2,500  shells  in  10  hr. 


108 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


''  'f  II  Forming- the  Band 


f^      Hand  i 

Tool  \  (1 


Nose     \^'W>m\         1,1 
A  ^      11  IB 


OPERATION  25.   FORM  DRIVE  BAND,  AND  FACE  AND  FORM  FUSE  END  OF  SHELL 

Machines  Used — Converted  engine  lathes. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Split  collet  chuck  A;  nose-forming  and  end-facing 
tool  B;  auxiliary  tool  sHde  C,  with  band-forming  tool  D;  steady  rest  E;  hand  turning 
Tool  F. 

Gages — ^Limit  snap  gages  for  diameter  of  copper  band;  templet  gage  for  drive  band ; 
templet  gage  for  nose  profile. 

Production — From  one  man  and  one  machine,  30  to  40  shells  per  hr. 

Note — No  tool  lubrication  used  in  forming  the  copper  drive  band;  cutting  speed, 
65  ft.  per  min.;  sequence  of  operations — (1)  form  band,  (2)  hand-tool  band,  (3)  face 
nose  end  and  form. 


Chap.  V] 


THREE-INCH  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL 


109 


Polishing 

the 

Nose 


OPERATION  26.      FILE  AND  POLISH  NOSE  OF  SHELL 

Machines  Used — Special  polishing  lathes,  with  cup  chucks  and  ball-bearing,  spring- 
actuated  tail  centers. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — None. 

Gages — Templet  gage  for  nose  profile. 

Production — From  one  operator  and  one  machine,  30  to  40  shells  per  hr. 

Note — The  poUshing  lathes  used  on  this  operation  work  in  step  with  a  like  number 
of  band-turning  lathes,  one  of  each,  back  to  back,  forming  a  unit.^ 

Reference — Special  polishing  lathe,  shown  in  Fig.  43. 


110 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


Blowing  out  the  Fuse  Socket 

OPERATION  27.   RETAP  FOR  FUSE-HOLE  PLUG  GRUB  SCREW 

Machines  Used — None. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Wooden  taper-wedge  block  vises  A;  hand  tap. 
Gages — None. 

Production — ^Two  men  can  handle  2,500  shells  in  10  hr.  on  this  operation. 
Note — Compressed  air  used  to  blow  out  the  fuse  socket;  the  cork  inserted  in 
powder  tube  prior  to  operation  20  is  now  removed. 


Chap.  V] 


THREE-INCH  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL 


111 


OPERATION     28.       LACQUER     OUTSIDE     OF     SHELL 

Machines  Used — Special  driving  device  mounted  on  bench  and  driven  from  floor 
shaft. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — None. 

Gages — None. 

Production — Three  men  lacquer  2,500  shells  in  10  hr. 

Note — Shell  is  placed  vertically  on  tipping  block  D,  rotated  by  hand  while  the  base 
is  lacquered,  then  tipped  horizontally  and  power  driven  by  a  leather  friction  wheel 
running  on  the  copper  driving  band,  while  the  cylindrical  surface  is  lacquered. 


driving-  Fuse  Plug     0riving'6rub  Screw 

OPERATION    29.      INSERT    FUSE-HOLE    PLUG    AND    GRUB    SCREW 

Machines  Used — None. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — None. 

Gages — None. 

Production — Two  men  produce  2,500  in  10  hr.  on  this  operation. 


112 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


OPERATION  30.      PACK  FOR  SHIPMENT 

Machines  Used — None. 
Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — None. 
Gages — None. 

Production — Four  men,  2,500  shells  in  10  hr. 

Note — After  boxing,  the  cover  is  sealed  by  means  of  a  countersunk  wax  plug, 
shown  at  A  and  B. 


The  production  of  2,500  completed  shells  per  10  hr.  day  demanded  a 
specialization  in  tools  marked  by  simplicity  and  ruggedness.  This  is 
well  exemplified  in  the  special-purpose  chucking  lathe  shown  in  Fig.  43, 
a  machine  which  accomplishes  much  in  the  way  of  sustaining  the  high 
production  demanded. 

The  machines  are  driven  from  a  floor  shaft  and  the  use  of  spring-  and 
lever-actuated  idler  pulleys,  which,  by  tightening  or  loosening  the  driving 
belt  as  desired,  start  and  stop  the  machines  without  the  need  of  clutches. 
These  features,  by  eliminating  stoppages  for  belt  adjustment,  are  operat- 
ing conveniences  which  also  insure  plenty  of  driving  power  at  the  spindle, 
while  the  unusually  large  spindle  bearings  and  the  low  turret  mounting 
provide  rigidity  for  fast  and  heavy  cut. 


Chap.  V] 


THREE-INCH  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL 


113 


The  transportation  and  inter-operation  storage  conveniences  naturally 
bear  considerable  weight  in  maintaining  the  output  of  the  plant,  for 
floor  space  is  too  valuable  to  permit  using  it  for  storage  space  between 
machines.  This  problem  was  solved  in  this  particular  plant  by  the  use 
of  special  trucks,  shown  in  Fig.  44,  which,  with  the  addition  of  detachable 
top  shelves,  also  serve  as  inter-machine  inspection  tables.  The  wooden 
pins  of  these  trucks  are  so  spaced  that  shells  which  are  '^ bottled"  may  be 
laid  between  them,  while  shells  in  a  condition  previous  to  this  operation 
are  placed  over  the  pins. 


FIG.    43.      SPECIAL-PURPOSE   CHUCKING   LATHE   USED   FOR  SHELL  OPERATIONS 


Certain  modifications  in  the  order  of  the  operations  scheduled  in 
the  Russian  specification  also  materially  assist  in  speeding  up  produc- 
tion. Formerly  the  heat-treating  operations  headed  the  sequence,  but 
by  preceding  the  hardening  of  the  shells  by  the  inside  finishing  and  out- 
side roughing  operations  greatly  benefited  the  cutting  tools  and  mate- 
rially reduced  the  time  consumed  in  the  heating  operations.  The  removal 
of  the  forging  skin  by  machining,  although  amounting  in  weight  to  not 
more  than  15  per  cent,  of  that  of  the  rough  shell,  increased  the  capacity 
of  the  same  number  of  furnaces  and  tables  over  30  per  cent.  The  outer 
skin  of  a  steel  forging  has  about  double  the  resistance  to  the  conduction 
of  heat  of  the  inner  metal  of  the  same  piece. 

Another  modification  of  the  Russian  specification  was  the  suspension 
of  the  requirement  of  nickel  plating  the  finished  shrapnel  shells.  This 
refinement  was  specified  as  a  protection  against  the  rusting  of  shells  in 


114 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


storage,  but  is  quite  unnecessary  when  the  shells  are  destined  for  early 
use. 

The  problem  of  balance  is  naturally  more  difficult  to  solve  for  the 
hand  operations  than  for  machine  operations.  The  first  heat-treatment 
is  a  good  example  of  careful  planning  to  avoid  lost  motions.  One  furnace- 
man  pulls  the  hot  shells  from  the  furnace  interior  with  a  pair  of  long  shell- 
tongs,  a  man  on  either  side  of 
him  taking  the  shell  which  he 
draws  out  and  plunging  it  end- 
wise into  the  oil-quenching 
tank.  After  one  or  two  end- 
wise motions  to  insure  proper 
cooling,  the  shell  is  dropped 
into  the  tank,  falling  into  a 
wire-mesh  basket.  The  loca- 
tion of  the  quenching  tanks 
with  reference  to  the  furnaces 
is  so  well  chosen  that  the  two 
quenchers  need  not  move  their 
positions,  simply  swinging  their 
bodies  as  they  transfer  the  hot 
shells  from  furnace  to  tank. 
After  the  entire  batch  has  been 
pulled  and  while  waiting  for  the 
next  batch  of  shells  in  the  ad- 
joining furnace,  the  three  men 
lift  out  the  baskets  and  re- 
move the  hardened  shells. 

The     shells     after    coming 
from  their  heat-treatment  are 
neither      sand-blasted      nor 
pickled,  it  having  been  found 
that   these   processes    are    un- 
necessary.    The  inside  surfaces 
of  the  shells  do  not  scale  ap- 
preciably, due  to  the  fact  that  the  air  within  them  is  not  in  circulation, 
and  in  fact  the  exterior  of  the  shells  is  remarkably  free  from  scale  also, 
due  to  quick  handling  between  furnace  and  oil  bath. 

Remarkably  fast  forming  of  tough  heat-treated  material  is  done  in 
the  seventh  operation.  The  cut,  which  is  over  2  in.  wide,  is  taken  at  a 
cutting  speed  of  75  ft.  per  minute;  and  under  this  hard  usage  the  tool,  by 
careful  handling,  will  stand  a  day's  run  without  regrinding.  Another 
interesting  example  of  forming  will  be  shown  in  the  fifth  suboperation 
of  operation   10,    in    which  the   nose-forming  tool  H  roughs   off  the 


FIG.    44.       PARTLY   LOADED    SHELL   TRUCK 
WITH  INSPECTION   SHELF 


Chap.  V]  THREE-INCH  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL  115 

nose  profile.  This,  however,  is  not  altogether  a  forming  operation,  the 
tool  being  fed  parallel  with  the  axis  of  the  shell  until  the  full  reduction  in 
size  is  reached. 

This  operation  was  formerly  divided  into  two  parts  with  the  purpose 
of  putting  less  strain  on  the  forming  tools  and  thus  securing  longer  service 
from  them.  Under  this  procedure,  the  base  end  was  first  rough  formed 
to  within  10  thousandths  in.  of  finished  size  leaving  the  removal  of  this 
amount  of  metal  together  with  the  knurling  and  undercutting  for  the 
second  half  of  the  operation.  Experience  has  shown,  however,  that  the 
additional  chucking  and  handling  time  offset  the  wear  on  the  forming 
cutter  and  as  a  result,  the  two  operations  were  combined  into  one,  and  are 
now  performed  as  here  described.  This  is  an  illustration  of  the  fact  that 
the  best  way  to  do  a  certain  thing  can  be  determined  only  by  trying  it 
out,  and  letting  experience  dictate  the  answer. 

The  lead  bath  following  the  hardening  operation  is  an  example  of 
the  unusually  high  production  made  possible  by  preheating  of  the  shells 
to  within  100  deg.  of  the  drawing  temperature  in  the  oil-fired  muffle 
furnace  (operation  5).  The  lead  pot  shown  in  operation  6  takes  care 
of  drawing  the  temper  of  2,500  shells  in  10  hr. — an  example  of  nicely 
timed  hand  work.  The  man  at  the  pot  rotates  the  shell  filling  fixture 
and  raises  and  lowers  the  weighted  spindles  with  the  aid  of  a  hook  and 
tackle.  The  man  standing  in  front  of  the  furnace  at  the  left  takes  the 
preheated  shells  from  it  and  places  them,  one  at  a  time,  upon  the  spindle 
made  vacant  by  the  man  in  the  center  who  removes  the  shells  from  the 
pot  and  places  them  upon  the  pins  of  the  special  trucks,  where  they  are 
allowed  to  cool. 

The  air  entrapped  when  the  inverted  shell  is  thrust  into  the  lead  pot 
is  vented  by  the  siphon  device  which  acts  as  a  support  for  the  inverted 
shell. 

From  the  manufacturer's  standpoint,  aside  from  its  close  limits,  the 
Russian  shell  presents  many  difficulties  which  are  avoided  in  the  British 
shrapnel.  It  has  one  feature,  however,  which  goes  a  long  way  toward 
offsetting  these,  in  that  the  diameter  of  the  hole  in  the  finished  shell  nose 
is  large  enough  to  admit  a  bar  with  a  cutter  that  is  the  full  size  of  the 
finished  powder  pocket.  This  means  that  it  is  possible  not  only  to  finish 
bore  the  shell  before  heat-treatment,  but  also  to  correct  that  portion  of 
the  product  that  shrinks  in  heat-treatment  and  in  which  the  powder- 
pocket  diameter  and  disk  seat  come  under  the  minimum  limit. 

The  Russian  shell  is  finished  inside  as  well  as  outside  wherein  it  differs 
from  the  British  shell,  in  which  considerable  of  the  rough  forging  skin 
is  left  in  the  interior.  This  seeming  drawback  serves  really  as  an 
advantage  for  it  would  be  difficult  to  maintain  the  close  limits  required 
unless  the  finishing  is  done.  Furthermore  the  inside  finishing  has  been 
so  carefully  planned  in  connection  with  the  nose  bottling  that  it  is  un- 


116  SHRAPNEL  [Sec.  1 

necessary  to  finish  the  inside  contour  of  the  nose  after  the  shell  is  closed 
in,  as  is  required  in  the  British  shell. 

One  of  the  noticeable  features  of  the  Russian  shell  is  its  highly  polished 
base.  This  finish  is  secured  in  the  eighth  operation  by  means  of  a  Gardner 
No.  4  double-disk  grinder.  Two  operators  work  on  this  machine,  one 
at  each  disk,  the  shell  being  merely  held  in  a  V-block  on  the  swing  table 
and  secured  by  the  operator's  left  hand,  his  right  being  used  to  traverse 
the  shell  across  the  surface  of  the  disk.  No  lubrication  is  needed  to  take 
care  of  the  light  cut,  which  amounts  to  but  0.001  or  0.002  in.  at  the  most. 

In  the  illustration  accompanying  this  operation,  the  method  of 
truing  up  the  special  abrasive  wheel  is  shown  at  the  right.  Special 
abrasive  wheels  are  shown  mounted  on  this  disk  grinder,  but  the  ordinary 
type  of  grinding  disk  is  also  used  with  good  success  and  in  fact  seems  to 
be  preferred  by  the  operators.  This  operation  definitely  determines  the 
thickness  of  the  base  of  the  shell.  A  careful  gaging  follows  it,  the 
apparatus  shown  at  C  being  used  for  this  purpose.  The  shell  is  placed 
over  the  vertical  spindle  with  its  powder  pocket  resting  upon  the  spindle 
enlargement;  and  the  surface  gage,  shown  at  the  left,  which  has  plus  and 
minus  ground  measuring  surfaces,  is  passed  over  the  base  of  the  shell. 

Bottling  and  annealing  are  combined  in  the  ninth  operation.  The 
perspective  illustration  accompanying  this  operation  shows  another 
example  of  nicely  timed  handwork.  Two  men  are  kept  busy  at  each  pot, 
one  of  them  working  from  the  pot  to  the  machine  and  back  to  the  pot 
again,  while  the  other  works  from  the  pile  of  shells  on  the  floor  to  the 
melting  pot  and  from  the  melting  pot  back  to  the  annealing  trays  of 
flake  mica.  The  die  used  on  the  heading  press  is  not  water-cooled,  yet 
does  its  work  without  causing  the  shells  to  stick. 

The  operation  of  bottling  and  annealing  is  often  reversed  in  order 
with  respect  to  that  of  grinding  the  shell  base,  this  depending  upon 
shop  conditions.  It  makes  no  difference  whether  bottling  precedes  or 
follows  the  grinding  operation.  The  rough  stock  that  has  been  left  upon 
the  body  and  bourrelet  of  the  shell  is  removed  in  the  eleventh  operation. 
Each  man  who  does  this  finishing  work  runs  two  engine  lathes  of  simple 
but  rigid  construction,  which  are  equipped  with  form-turning  templets 
corresponding  to  the  contour  of  the  Russian  shell.  From  each  lathe  the 
operator  gets  10  shells  an  hour,  or  a  total  of  20  per  hour  per  man  per  two 
machines.  This  is  remarkably  fast  production,  considering  the  fact 
that  the  material  is  heat-treated  nickel  steel.  Fast  cutting  must  be 
done  to  obtain  this  result;  as  a  matter  of  fact  the  cutting  speed  is  over 
118  ft.  per  minute,  and  the  Hneal  feed  is  3  in.  per  minute.  The  finish- 
turning  operations  leave  approximately  0.002  in.  for  the  succeeding  filing 
and  polishing  operations.  A  clever  tail-end  centering  device  is  used  on 
these  lathes.  It  incorporates  in  its  design  a  plug  that  fits  the  finished  end 
of  the  shell  nose  and  a  ball  thrust  bearing  that  removes  friction  which 


Chap.  V]  THREE-INCH  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL  117 

would  otherwise  result  in  heating  at  this  high  speed.  This  same  centering 
device  is  also  used  on  the  tailstock  of  the  speed  lathe  in  the  following 
operation. 

The  speed  lathes  used  in  this  operation  are  examples  of  effective 
simplicity.  They  are  mounted  upon  wooden  beds  and  driven  from  below 
through  belts  tightened  with  idler  pulleys.  Brakes  are  provided  to 
bring  the  head  spindles  to  a  quick  stop.  The  tail  spindles  of  these  lathes 
are  actuated  by  springs,  so  that  all  that  it  is  necessary  for  the  operator 
to  do  is  to  release  the  lever  handle,  whereupon  the  ball-bearing  centering 
plug  forces  the  shell  into  the  taper  cup  chuck,  where  it  is  held  and  driven 
by  friction.  This  filing  and  polishing  are  confined  to  the  body  and  bour- 
relet  of  the  shell  and  do  not  extend  to  the  nose,  which  receives  attention 
after  the  fuse-socket  plug  has  been  inserted  and  the  screws  put  in. 

Unlike  that  of  the  British  shell  of  corresponding  size,  the  powder  tube 
of  the  Russian  shrapnel  is  not  threaded  upon  the  disk  end,  but  is  held 
into  the  disk  by  expanding  the  sides  of  the  tube,  which  are  thinned  down 
at  one  end  for  this  purpose.  There  are  a  number  of  distinct  hand  opera- 
tions required  in  preparing  the  disk  and  tube  for  insertion  in  the  shell, 
all  of  which  are  shown  in  operation  13.  The  apparatus  used  here  is 
extremely  simple,  consisting  of  a  cast-iron  hammering  block,  a  special 
punch  to  protect  the  upper  end  of  the  tube,  and  a  hammer.  A  steel 
pin  the  size  of  the  hole  in  the  outer  tube  is  fixed  in  the  hammering  block 
at  B.  At  D  will  be  noticed  two  conical  stubs.  These  are  expanding 
plugs.  They  are  used  for  opening  up  the  end  of  the  tube  which  is  to  be 
inserted.  One  plug  is  a  little  larger  than  the  other  and  is  used  when  the 
tubes  run  undersize.  A  small  drilled  hole  in  the  hammering  block  holds 
a  wad  of  waste  saturated  with  red  lead. 

To  show  the  actions  making  up  this  suboperation  in  sequence  more 
clearly,  the  steps  have  been  laid  out  in  a  straight  line,  beginning  with 
the  dropping  of  the  disk  over  the  steel  pin,  followed  by  the  expanding  of 
the  tube,  the  dipping  of  the  expanded  end  into  red  lead  and  the  final 
riveting  of  the  tube  into  the  disk.  The  simplicity  of  the  ways  and 
means  employed  enables  this  operation  to  be  performed  at  a  remarkably 
high  speed. 

Coating  the  edge  of  the  disk  with  red  lead,  as  shown  at  8,  is  done 
just  previously  to  inserting  the  completed  disk  and  tube  in  the  shell, 
but  not  before  the  paint  on  the  exterior  of  the  disk  and  on  the  interior 
of  the  tube  has  become  thoroughly  dried. 

While  the  preparation  of  the  outer  tube  and  disk  has  been  in  progress, 
the  shell  itself  has  been  thoroughly  washed,  cleaned  and  delivered  to  the 
Government  inspectors.  In  this  first  official  inspection  it  receives  prac- 
tically the  same  tests  as  those  described  for  the  British  18-pounder. 
Particular  stress  is  laid  upon  the  inspection  of  the  interior  of  the  shell 
at  this  point,  for  it  is  the  last  opportunity  for  the  Government  inspectors 


118  SHRAPNEL  [Sec.  I 

to  examine  this  part  of  the  shell,  unless  they  take  the  completed  shrapnel 
apart  or  saw  it  in  half.  Cracks,  scratches,  scale,  or  hair  lines  on  the 
interior  or  outside  surfaces  of  the  shell  are  carefully  watched  for  during 
this  inspection. 

The  painting  of  the  interior  of  the  shell  becomes  simply  a  matter  of 
arranging  the  handling  in  order  to  get  as  high  an  output  as  desired  from 
the  apparatus  shown  in  operation  14.  The  machine  used  is  a  compressed- 
air  shell-painting  machine  made  by  the  Spray  Engineering  Co.,  of  Boston. 
Pressing  the  inverted  shell  over  the  discharge  tube  of  this  apparatus 
causes  it  to  inject  a  measured  quantity  of  paint,  which  is  forced  up  into 
the  powder  pocket  by  compressed  air.  The  air  is-  delivered  in  such  a 
way  that  the  paint  is  uniformly  distributed  and  drops  are  prevented  from 
running  down  and  gumming  up  the  finished  thread  surfaces. 

One  of  the  conveniences  designed  to  facilitate  the  handling  of  shells 
during  the  painting  operation  is  shown  in  this  operation.  It  is  a 
drying  rack  mounted  on  wheels,  and  it  may  be  readily  pushed  back  and 
forth  to  bring  it  into  convenient  location  with  respect  to  the  painting 
machine.  The  shells  rest  upon  heavy  wire  netting,  which  permits  free 
circulation  of  air  to  their  interiors  and  helps  to  dry  them  quickly. 

In  the  Russian  shell,  any  disks  which  fit  tightly  into  the  disk  seats 
are  at  once  rejected.  The  disk  must  be  a  loose,  easy  fit  and  must  readily 
drop  into  its  place.  It  is  inserted  before  the  shell  goes  to  the  band- 
crimping  machine  and  serves  as  a  check  upon  this  operation,  for  upon 
coming  from  this  machine  the  disks  must  still  be  free  within  the  shell. 
Any  distortion  of  the  metal  due  to  compression  would  of  course  be  noticed 
by  a  binding  of  the  disk,  and  this  arrangement  is  made  to  serve  as  a 
convenient  gage  upon  an  operation  which  would  otherwise  be  rather 
difficult  to  check  up.  An  additional  reason  for  this  free  fit  is  to  insure 
that  the  disk  and  outer  tube  will  be  readily  discharged  from  the  exploded 
shell  and  thus  serve  to  back  up  and  give  impetus  to  the  discharge  of  its 
content  of  lead  balls,  acting  in  this  way  something  like  the  wad  back  of 
the  charge  of  shot  in  a  shotgun  shell. 

Considerable  attention  is  given  to  the  inspection  of  the  copper  drive 
band.  The  metal  must  be  of  such  a  character  that  it  may  be  folded  upon 
itself  and  may  be  then  flattened  with  a  hammer  without  signs  of  breaking. 
It  must  be  capable  of  being  forged  in  a  cold  state  until  reduced  to  one- 
half  of  its  thickness,  without  giving  indications  of  tearing.  The  correct 
seating  of  the  copper  band  in  the  band  groove  of  the  shell  is  determined 
after  the  crimping  operation  by  tapping  the  band  with  a  hammer  and 
noticing  the  clearness  of  the  ring.  In  addition  to  this  the  inspector  has 
the  privilege  of  removing  rings  from  1  per  cent,  of  the  total  number  of 
projectiles  for  the  purpose  of  seeing  that  they  are  properly  seated. 

At  the  seventeenth  operation — that  of  loading  or  filling  the  shrapnel 
— a  number  of  elements  are  introduced  which  have  considerable  effect 


HAP.  V]  THREE-INCH  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL  119 

on  the  further  handhng  of  the  shell.  Owing  to  the  design  and  construc- 
tion of  these  parts  and  the  Umitations  of  the  requirements  concerning 
them,  it  is  no  longer  possible  to  handle  the  Russian  shell  mechanically, 
but  its  completion  through  the  next  six  operations  becomes  an  example 
of  handwork  pure  and  simple,  quite  a  bit  more  so  than  in  the  case  of  the 
British  shell  of  corresponding  size,  in  which  loading  is  a  semimechanical 
proposition. 

One  of  the  causes  for  this  difference  is  the  fact  that  Russian  specifica- 
tions call  for  the  insertion  of  *' smoke  powder"  after  five  rows  of  balls 
are  introduced  into  the  shell.  This  composition  is  a  mixture  of  metallic 
antimony  and  magnesium,  the  former  producing  dense  black  smoke  and 
the  latter  a  brilliant  light,  so  that  the  explosion  of  the  shell  may  be 
traced  either  by  day  or  by  night.  The  purpose  of  this  smoke  powder  is 
to  serve  as  a  guide  to  the  artillery  observer  who  takes  care  of  the  range- 
finding,  and  of  course  has  nothing  to  do  with  assisting  in  the  explosion 
of  the  shell  itself. 

Russian  shrapnel  balls  are  cast  from  a  mixture  of  four  parts  by  weight 
of  lead  and  one  part  by  weight  of  antimony.  The  diameter  of  the  balls 
is  5-^2  ^^'}  and  the  average  weight  of  one  is  6  drams.  They  are  tested 
by  being  struck  a  slight  blow  with  a  hammer  and  must  not  crack  under 
this  test.  A  shell  is  supposed  to  contain  from  256  to  265  balls,  but  in 
some  cases  in  this  country  special  provision  reducing  the  number  has 
been  made  by  the  inspectors,  since  the  density  of  the  metal  employed 
made  it  impossible  to  get  the  full  number  of  given-sized  balls  within  the 
allotted  space  in  the  interior  of  the  shell. 

In  order  even  to  get  the  reduced  number  of  balls  into  the  shell,  it  is 
necessary  to  press  them  down  by  means  of  an  arbor  press,  such  as  shown 
at  C  in  operation  17.  The  first  pressing  down  occurs  after  the  smoke 
powder  has  been  introduced,  and  in  some  cases  a  second  and  even  a 
third  pressing  at  certain  stages  of  the  filling  are  necessary  in  order  to 
make  the  required  weight.  The  tool  shown  at  D  in  this  operation 
is  used  to  facilitate  this  work.  It  consists  of  a  plunger  having  a  hole 
through  its  center,  to  admit  the  powder  tube,  and  running  in  a  guide 
the  bottom  of  which  conforms  to  the  outside  shape  of  the  shell.  Con- 
sidering the  restrictions  and  disadvantages  under  which  this  operation 
must  be  handled,  three  operators  do  well  to  produce  250  shells  per  hour. 

The  fuse  socket  of  the  Russian  shrapnel  is  shown  at  I  in  operation  18. 
It  differs  in  many  respects  from  the  British  shrapnel  fuse  socket,  and  most 
notably  in  the  coarse  pitch  of  the  thread  that  receives  the  fuse.  After 
the  thread  in  the  shell  nose  has  been  daubed  with  grease,  as  shown  at  E, 
the  fuse  socket  is  entered  by  hand;  then  the  projectile  is  put  upon  a 
pair  of  scales  so  that  the  weight  may  be  brought  up  to  13  lb.  5.6  oz., 
within  the  limit  either  way  of  the  weight  of  one  ball.  Should  the  weight 
be  found  not  sufficient,  a  ball  is  introduced,  as  shown  at  H,  this  process 


120  SHRAPNEL  [Sec.  I 

requiring  considerable  skill  and  manipulation.  If  the  weight  is  excessive, 
there  is  nothing  to  do  but  remove  the  plug  and  take  out  a  ball.  It  must 
be  said  that  very  few  corrections  need  to  be  made,  as  experience  soon 
teaches  those  who  handle  the  assembling  of  shells  to  judge  weight  by 
''heft"  almost  as  accurately  as  scales  will  measure  it. 

One  of  the  most  essential  precautions  in  hand  assembling  is  to  make 
sure  that  the  powder  tube  has  not  been  distorted  or  crimped  or  otherwise 
injured.  Therefore  as  soon  as  the  weight  has  been  found  to  be  correct, 
a  rod  gage  is  run  down  through  the  powder  tube.  It  must  go  all  the  way 
to  the  bottom  of  the  powder  pocket.  This  gage  consists  simply  of  a 
tool-steel  rod  of  a  diameter  equal  to  that  of  the  interior  of  the  tube  and 
provided  with  a  handle  at  the  top,  such  as  is  shown  at  /  in  operation  18. 
After  the  weight  of  the  loaded  shell  and  the  condition  of  the  powder  tube 
have  been  found  to  be  correct,  the  fuse  socket  is  screwed  down.  This 
process  is  like  the  operation  of  a  miniature  treadmill  and  is  shown  in 
operation  19.  The  shell  is  held  securely  in  a  hinged  vise  mounted  upon 
a  pedestal,  and  the  socket  is  driven  home  through  the  exertions  of  an 
operator  who  walks  backward  in  a  circle,  pulling  the  pipe  extension  handle 
after  him.  One  feature  of  this  operation  is  the  wrench  used,  which  is  a 
screw  plug  wrench  conforming  to  the  thread  of  the  fuse  socket  and  having 
an  extension  pilot  that  projects  into  and  protects  the  central  powder  tube. 

A  difference  in  design  between  the  British  and  the  Russian  shrapnel 
is  noticed  in  the  means  used  for  sealing  the  upper  end  of  the  powder  tube 
to  the  fuse  socket.  In  British  shell  the  brass  powder  tube  was  soldered 
direct  to  the  bronze  fuse  socket  after  the  loading  was  completed.  In 
the  Russian  shrapnel  the  joint  is  made  by  means  of  a  copper  plug, 
shown  at  K  in  operation  20,  which  screws  down  within  the  fuse  socket 
and  has  a  recessed  central  hole  that  fits  over  the  central  powder  tube. 
No  solder  is  employed  to  make  this  joint,  but  the  plug  is  screwed  down 
in  such  a  way  that  the  powder  tube  is  securely  held.  For  this  purpose 
a  wrench,  shown  at  L,  is  employed.  It  is  quite  similar  in  principle  to 
that  used  in  operation  19,  for  screwing  down  fuse  sockets,  except  that 
it  has  a  screw-slot  key  projection  instead  of  threads. 

Since  this  joint  is  not  made  tight  with  solder  or  other  packing,  it  is 
essential  to  seat  the  copper  plug  squarely  against  the  tube.  This  is 
tested  by  means  of  a  gage,  shown  at  Q,  which  has  a  double  purpose — 
first,  to  indicate  whether  the  copper  plug  has  been  screwed  down  the 
correct  distance;  and  second,  to  show  whether  it  is  squarely  seated. 

A  cork  is  inserted  in  the  powder  tube  of  each  shell  and  remains  there 
during  the  succeeding  operations  as  an  insurance  against  the  entrance 
of  dirt  or  other  foreign  material.  Just  before  the  fuse-hole  plugs  are 
inserted,  these  corks  are  withdrawn  and  returned  to  the  bench  at  which 
this  operation  is  performed,  to  be  used  over  again. 

The  shell  is  then  filled  with  rosin,  introduced  through  hole  A,  the 


Chap.  V]  THREE-INCH  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL  121 

larger  of  the  two  holes  shown  in  suboperation  P  in  operation  21.      The 
smaller  hole  B  is  provided  for  the  escape  of  the  air. 

In  order  to  introduce  the  rosin  through  such  a  small  opening  as  has 
been  left  for  it,  a  force  pump  is  provided  on  the  side  of  the  rosin  kettle, 
as  shown  at  R  in  this  operation.  The  nose,  or  discharge  opening,  of  this 
force  pump  is  made  to  fit  inside  of  the  hole  A  in  the  fuse  socket.  One 
stroke  downward  of  the  pump  lever  fills  the  shell  with  rosin  and  causes 
a  little  to  flow  over,  which  is  necessary  to  indicate  that  the  shell  is  com- 
pletely filled.  The  rosin  is  prevented  from  entering  the  threads  by  means 
of  wooden  plugs,  such  as  shown  at  Q,  which  fill  up  the  thread  nose  and 
prevent  the  necessity  of  cleaning  out  these  threads  later  on.  The  rosin 
kettles  are  heated  by  means  of  gas  burners  and  are  arranged  to  be 
supplied  from  above  by  means  of  a  rosin  storage  supply. 

It  is  necessary  to  remove  the  few  drops  of  rosin  which  overflow  through 
the  air  outlet,  and  this  is  done  by  means  of  one  or  two  passes  of  a  hand 
scraper,  as  shown  at  X  in  this  operation.  Next,  the  shell  is  placed  upon 
a  pair  of  scales  to  determine  its  weight.  One  advantage  of  the  Russian 
method  of  filling  shells  with  rosin  is  the  fact  that  the  operator  does  not 
need  to  exercise  an  unusual  degree  of  haste  in  entering  and  screwing 
down  the  fuse  socket  before  the  rosin  becomes  solidified.  In  the  British 
shell  it  is  important  that  this  be  done,  and  the  necessity  of  doing  so  in  a 
hurry  does  not  add  to  the  convenience  of  the  operation. 

The  next  step  following  the  filling  of  the  shell  with  rosin  consists  in 
plugging  the  rosin-admission  and  air-outlet  holes,  this  work  being  shown 
in  operation  22.  The  screws  used  in  plugging  these  holes  are  kept  at  a 
blue  heat  by  means  of  the  apparatus  shown  at  W,  it  being  necessary  to 
have  them  at  this  temperature  in  order  that  they  may  melt  whatever 
rosin  remains  in  these  two  holes  and  thus  clear  the  way  for  themselves 
without  the  necessity  of  cleaning  the  holes  out  otherwise.  An  operator 
becomes  quite  expert  at  handling  these  hot  screws,  having  a  pair  of 
tweezers  as  an  aid  in  starting  them.  They  are  driven  home  by  means  of 
a  Yankee  screwdriver,  after  which  the  protruding  heads  are  snipped  off 
with  a  pair  of  hand  snips,  and  whatever  remains  is  riveted  down  with  a 
hammer.  This  operation  completely  seals  up  the  interior  of  the  shell 
and  its  contents  of  balls  and  smoke  powder,  leaving  an  opening,  however, 
to  the  powder  pocket  through  the  central  powder  tube,  which  has  been 
and  is  still  during  this  operation  closed  with  a  cork. 

There  are  a  number  of  checks  upon  the  proper  filling  of  the  Russian 
shell.  One  of  these  is  the  weight  of  the  complete  shell,  which  indicates 
whether  it  contains  the  required  number  of  balls.  In  addition  to  this 
a  certain  number  of  shells  are  unloaded  or  disassembled,  the  inspector 
having  the  right  to  disassemble  not  over  one-half  of  one  per  cent,  of  the 
entire  number  of  finished  shells.  Sometimes  instead  of  disassembling 
a  shell    a  section  is  sawed  out  longitudinally  upon  a  milling  machine, 


122  SHRAPNEL  [Sec.  I 

exhibiting  the  cross-section  of  the  interior  of  the  shell  and  showing  the 
regularity  of  loading.  Points  that  are  observed  or  looked  for  in  these 
examinations  are  as  follows:  The  proper  fastening  of  the  fuse  socket 
to  the  body  of  the  shell;  the  correct  seating  to  the  upper  end  of  the  powder 
tube  into  the  copper  plug ;  the  regularity  of  the  powder  tube,  and  whether 
it  has  been  mashed  through  loading;  the  proper  filling  of  rosin  and  smoke 
powder:  the  position  of  the  diaphragm  in  its  seat,  and  whether  the  proper 
number  of  balls  has  been  inserted.  This  latter  point  is  established  by  the 
actual  count  of  the  contents  of  the  disassembled  shrapnel. 

Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  the  fuse  socket  is  screwed  down  firmly 
in  operation  19,  the  Russian  ordinance  officials  insist  on  additional  pre- 
cautions against  possible  loosening  in  the  shape  of  two  %-m.  screws 
that  extend  through  the  steel  shell  into  the  metal  of  the  fuse  socket. 
The  drilling  and  tapping  for  these  screws,  as  well  as  for  the  ^'grub" 
screw  that  is  to  hold  the  zinc  fuse-hole  screw  plug,  is  done  on  multi- 
spindle  high-speed  sensitive  drills  and  is  shown  in  operation  23.  The 
fixtures  used  in  this  operation  consist  of  a  stationary  angle  plate  screwed 
to  the  drill  table,  represented  at  A,  and  a  number  of  square  index  blocks, 
shown  at  B.  These  blocks  are  for  the  purpose  of  properly  spacing  the 
holes  at  90  deg.  of  the  shell  circumference.  They  are  clamped  to  the 
bases  of  the  shells  by  means  of  the  clamping  screws,  shown  at  C,  which 
are  tightened  by  means  of  a  special  socket  wrench  and  which  hold  the 
split  portion  of  the  index  block  upon  the  base  of  the  shell. 

The  stationary  fixture  A,  while  simple,  is  well  adapted  to  fast  produc- 
tion. There  are  three  shell  positions  on  this  fixture,  each  located  cen- 
trally with  one  of  the  three  drill  spindles.  One  of  these  shell  positions 
consists  of  the  central  plug  H,  which  enters  and  fits  the  hole  in  the  fuse 
socket,  and  the  distance  plugs  J,  which  butt  up  against  the  outside  edge 
of  the  shell  and  maintain  it  at  the  proper  distance  from  the  face  of  the 
fixture.  The  thrust  of  the  drill  is  not  taken  altogether  by  plug  H,  but 
upon  a  strip  that  runs  across  the  jig  and  upon  one  of  the  faces  of  the  square 
index  blocks. 

The  procedure  in  this  operation  is  to  spot  a  center  with  a  counter- 
sinking drill,  shown  at  E,  through  the  bushing  D.  Then  the  shell  is 
moved  to  the  second  position,  in  which  the  hole  for  the  tap  is  drilled  at  F. 
Finally,  the  shell  goes  to  the  third  position,  in  which  these  holes  are  tapped 
by  the  tap  G  in  an  automatic  reversing  tapping  chuck.  Three  holes  are 
drilled  and  tapped  in  each  shell. 

A  converted  engine  lathe  furnishes  the  means  of  performing  the  double 
operation  shown  in  operation  25,  in  which  the  copper  band  is  formed  to 
size  and  shape,  and  the  nose  end  of  the  shell  is  formed  and  faced.  The 
shell  is  held  in  a  simple  split  collet  chuck,  shown  at  A,  and  runs  in  the 
steadyrest  E,  with  its  outer  end  projecting  beyond  this  so  that  the  com- 
bination forming  tool  B  may  be  advanced  to  face  off  the  end  of  the  fuse 


Chap.  V] 


THREE-INCH  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL 


123 


socket  and  also  to  remove  the  projecting  ends  of  the  riveted  screwheads 
that  remain  from  the  preceding  operation.  An  auxihary  tool  slide  is 
used  for  the  copper-band  forming.  It  is  mounted  on  the  lathe  carriage 
at  the  proper  distance  away  from  the  facing  and  forming  tool  B  and 
is  provided  with  a  micrometer  feed  dial  by  means  of  which  the  size  is 
determined. 

A  hand  operation  is  necessary  after  the  forming  tool  B  completes  its 
work,  in  order  to  remove  the  rough  edges  of  the  band.  This  tool  is 
simply  a  flat  file  that  has  been  dressed  up  on  a  grinding  wheel  to  the  shape 


FIG.  45. 


BELT-DRIVEN   SHELL   FILING   AND    POLISHING   MACHINE    OF   SIMPLE 
CONSTRUCTION 


shown  at  F.  It  is  used  in  connection  with  the  hinged  hand-tool  rest, 
shown  at  G,  which  is  ordinarily  flapped  back  out  of  the  way  except  when 
hand-tooling,  at  which  time  it  is  brought  into  the  position  shown  in  the 
dotted  lines  and  forms  a  tool  rest.  No  lubricant  is  used  in  this  operation, 
which  is  performed  at  a  cutting  speed  of  65  ft.  per  minute  with  an  out- 
put ranging  between  30  and  40  shells  per  hour. 

The  same  type  of  simple  speed  lathe  that  was  used  in  the  twelfth 
operation  in  filing  and  polishing  the  body  and  bourrelet  of  the  shell  is 
brought  into  use  again  in  operation  26  for  filing  and  polishing  the  nose. 
One  of  these  lathes  is  placed  back  to  back  with  each  of  the  band-turning 
lathes,  and  the  operators  of  each  keep  pace  together,  so  that  the  two  opera- 
tions can  really  be  looked  upon  as  forming  one  unit.  The  chuck  used, 
which  is  shown  at  B,  is  a  simple  cup  chuck  that  grips  the  shell  by  fric- 
tion and  requires  no  tightening.     The  tailstock  spindle  is  spring  actuated 


124  SHRAPNEL  [Sec.  I 

and  has  a  ball  thrust  bearing  at  C,  similar  to  that  shown  in  detail  on  the 
body-finishing  lathe  in  operation  11.  These  machines  are  run  at  a  speed 
of  150  r.p.m.  They  are  driven  from  below  by  means  of  a  floor  shaft 
and  started  and  stopped  by  means  of  an  idler  pulley  and  an  automatic 
brake,  which  is  brought  into  action  as  soon  as  the  belt  tension  is  decreased. 
Lathes  of  this  type  are  mounted  upon  a  wooden  base  and  are  quite  simple 
in  construction,  as  shown  by  the  one  illustrated  in  Fig.  45. 

But  two  of  the  three  holes  drilled  and  tapped  in  operation  23  are  used 
for  fuse-socket  holding  screws.  In  preparing  the  third  hole  for  the  fuse- 
hole  socket  grub  screw  that  keeps  the  zinc  plug  from  coming  loose 
a  retapping  operation  is  necessary.  It  is  shown  in  operation  27. 
The  shell  is  held  in  the  tapered  wood-block  chuck,  shown  at  A,  while  a 
hand  tap  is  run  through  the  threads  to  remove  any  burrs  that  may  have 
been  put  on  by  the  forming  of  the  nose.  At  this  time,  also,  the  fuse 
socket  is  cleaned  out  with  compressed  air,  and  the  cork  that  has  remained 
in  the  powder  tube  since  the  twentieth  operation  is  removed  and  returned 
to  be  used  over  again. 

An  ingenious  arrangement  for  painting  shells  is  shown  in  operation 
28 .  It  is  about  as  effective  an  arrangement  as  has  yet  been  developed  by  the 
shell  manufacturers.  The  device  is  mounted  on  top  of  a  work  bench  and 
consists  of  a  drive  shaft  A  running  in  bearing  B  and  provided  with  leather 
friction  drivers  at  various  points  in  its  length.  The  shells  are  held  on 
swivel  stands,  consisting  of  brackets,  shown  at  C,  and  tipping  blocks  D, 
which  are  manipulated  by  means  of  the  handle  E.  The  bottom  of  the 
shell  is  first  painted  while  in  a  vertical  position,  the  shell  being  rotated 
by  hand,  after  which  it  is  tipped  over  against  the  leather  friction  driver 
and  the  idler  G,  which  runs  upon  the  copper  band,  and  the  painting  of 
the  outside  is  completed.  The  shell  is  held  at  its  nose,  or  fuse,  end  upon 
the  tipping  block  by  means  of  a  plug  that  fits  within  the  hole  in  the  fuse 
socket  and  permits  the  shell  to  rotate. 

After  the  fuse-hole  screw  plug  has  been  driven  home,  it  is  held  by 
means  of  the  setscrew  inserted  in  the  small  ^^2-in.  hole,  the  pointed  end 
of  which  bears  against  the  thread  of  the  screw.  Russian  shells  of  this 
size  are  shipped  eight  in  a  box  in  substantial  wooden  packing  cases  made 
with  locked  corners.     One  of  these  is  shown  in  operation  30. 

An  interesting  point  is  the  manner  of  sealing  these  boxes  so  that 
when  received  on  the  other  side  there  will  be  assurance  that  they  have 
not  been  tampered  with.  At  A  is  shown  a  counterbore  through  which 
one  of  the  cover  screws  is  drilled  and  countersunk.  There  are  two  of 
these  counterbored  holes  in  each  cover  in  addition  to  the  other  screws, 
which  are  flush  with  the  top  surface.  Wax  plugs  are  inserted  in  these 
counterbores  after  the  screws  have  been  driven  home.  The  plugs  are 
heated  by  means  of  a  gasoline  blow  torch  and  then  sealed  by  the  official 
receiver  of  the  goods  after  the  case  has  been  packed. 


Chap.  V]  THREE-INCH  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL  125 

Factory  inspection  by  no  means  determines  the  final  acceptability 
of  the  Russian  shells.  This  final  decision  is  made  under  what  is  known 
as  a  controlling  test,  in  which  test  specimens  are  actually  fired  from  guns. 
For  each  batch  of  5,000  shells  which  have  passed  the  Government  in- 
spector located  at  the  factory,  a  selection  of  10  shells  is  made  for  a  tensile 
test.  Three  flat  longitudinal  strips  are  cut  from  a  cylindrical  part  of 
the  shell,  parallel  to  its  axis,  immediately  above  the  band  groove.  The 
test  requirements  are  a  breaking  strength  not  under  8,000  atmospheres 
(117,600  lb.  to  the  square  inch)  and  a  final  lengthening  distention  not 
less  than  8  per  cent. 

In  addition  to  these  10  shells  which  are  tested  for  tensile  strength, 
50  projectiles  from  each  batch  are  given  a  firing  test.  After  being  fired 
without  explosive  charges  in  the  shell  itself,  the  projectiles  are  gathered 
and  tested  by  exploding  them  in  a  pit,  those  shells  being  used  which 
have  received  no  damage  during  the  firing  test.  Ten  of  these  shells  are 
thus  tested  by  exploding.  An  idea  of  the  strictness  of  the  controlling- 
batch  test  may  be  gathered  by  the  following  requirements:  No  breakage 
must  occur  in  the  bore  or  in  front  of  the  muzzle  of  the  gun  during  firing. 
There  must  be  no  separation  of  the  head  from  the  case  of  the  shrapnel  in 
the  bore  or  in  front  of  the  muzzle  of  the  gun.  No  traces  of  the  rifling 
must  be  apparent  on  the  cylindrical  part  of  the  butt  of  the  projectile 
picked  up  after  firing,  although  weak  traces  of  the  rifling  on  the  bourrelet, 
extending  over  not  more  than  one-half  the  circumference,  are  not  con- 
sidered causes  for  the  rejection  of  the  batch. 

There  must  be  no  curving  of  the  base  of  the  shell,  nor  an  increase 
of  the  diameter  of  its  cylindrical  part,  in  excess  of  one  point.  Among  the 
shells  that  are  given  a  firing  test  there  must  not  be  over  20  per  cent,  in 
which  the  upper  end  of  the  powder  tube  has  issued  from  the  socket  of 
the  copper  plug.  In  addition  to  this  there  must  be  no  considerable 
crimping  of  the  central  tubes,  cracks  on  these  tubes  or  a  penetration  of 
the  tubes  themselves  into  the  powder  chamber. 

In  the  explosion  test  there  must  be  no  tearing  off  of  the  bases  of  the 
shell,  and  the  bodies  of  the  cases  must  remain  entire  in  at  least  70  per 
cent,  of  those  tested. 

As  far  as  the  copper  drive  bands  are  concerned,  there  must  be  no 
tearing  off  or  displacement  of  these  during  the  firing  test,  and  the  rifling 
marks  left  upon  them  must  have  a  regular  appearance  and  not  be 
broadened. 

If  any  shell  during  the  firing  test  breaks  in  the  bore  of  the  gun  or  in 
front  of  the  muzzle,  the  entire  batch  of  5,000  shells  is  at  once  uncondition- 
ally rejected. 

The  failure  of  a  test  batch  to  meet  some  of  these  requirements  does 
not  necessarily  mean  the  immediate  rejection  of  the  entire  lot.  The 
manufacturer  is  permitted  to  present  more  test  shells  at  his  own  expense; 


126 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


but  if  these  do  not  prove  satisfactory,  the  chances  are  that  he  will  find 
5,000  unusable  shells  left  on  his  hands. 

These  strict  requirements  may  explain  why  manufacturers  who 
anticipate  a  factory  defective  loss  of  from  23^^  to  5  per  cent,  allow  as 
much  as  20  per  cent,  for  a  rejection  contingency. 

MAKING  3-IN.  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL  IN  A  PUMP  SHOP 

The  majority  of  shops  undertaking  shell  manufacture  have  been  put  to 
considerable  expense  in  the  purchase  of  new  equipment  suitable  for  the  re- 
quired operations  and  in  the  refitting  of  machines  on  hand.  The  Hill  Pump 
Co.,  Anderson,  Ind.,  having  a  large,  well-equipped  shop  and  foundry  of  its 
own  decided  to  make  for  itself  whatever  equipment  was  absolutely  neces- 
sary, thus  avoiding  the  heavy  investment  required  for  special  machinery 
and,  at  the  same  time,  protecting  itself  against  the  uncertainty  of  deliveries. 

.Holes  A,B  andC,  drilled  offer  assembling  body;  drill  hole  A  fir  si, 
then  loccrfe  B  and  Cquarferin^  mih  A 


^Diam.    \  „ 

d4Th'ds.  r<-  IS  SO  -^rWi 
hifSfdl. 


8.SS0 


' -0.005 


6.200 


'0.005 


mUSiUK,^ 


■8.150 


1.050 


<it0.006 


0.175 


Q02"R\- 


--X-i u--i  -■  -'^M50 


Q50 


<---- 3.60-'-- 


-.--.J  ''''-^50^l.50"-^< 


ill! 


X-a?  Threads  per  Inch,  Whifyiorfh  Standard.  Depih  of  Thread,  0.025 

*20Z 

-lOZ 
5 LB.  FINISHED  WEIGHT 

12  LB.  FORGING 

119,000  LB.  ULTIHATE  TENSILE  ST/fCNSTH 
81,  UNDER  a'  , 

*s-so-c  ^Oif.^ 

^SSO-Mm  H     003  Ryy 

ao4-s  ;0.097R. 

ao3-p 


°°^  -^  0.140'^- 


\}002/?. 
'^Knurled 


FIG.    46.       DETAILS    OF   3-IN.    SHELL 


The  result  was  the  designing  and  building'  of  two  sizes  of  special  turret 
lathes  together  with  all  the  needed  tools  and  special  attachments  for  the 
lathes.  Such  of  the  shop's  existing  equipment  as  could  be  adapted  was 
pressed  into  service.  Thus  equipped  the  Hill  Pump  Co.  proceeded  to 
manufacture  Russian  3-in.  shrapnel  in  an  exceedingly  efficient  manner. 
The  forgings,  in  the  form  of  cylinders  with  one  closed  end,  are  received 
from  a  steel  mill.  These  forgings,  as  delivered,  weigh  about  7  lb.  133^ 
oz.  each,  and  the  work  done  in  this  shop  reduces  them  to  a  minimum  of 


Chap.  V] 


THREE-INCH  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL 


127 


5  lb.  7  oz.  or  a  maximum  of  5  lb.  10  oz.  The  shell  is  shown  in  section, 
Fig.  46,  together  with  the  various  measurements  and  specifications.  Some 
of  the  lots  of  forgings  have  to  be  pickled  before  machining,  but  frequently 
this  is  unnecessary. 

Disregarding  for  the  time  being  several  inspections,  the  main  shop 
operations  proceed  in  the  following  order: 


1.  Pickling  (if  needed) 

14. 

Roughing  out  powder  pocket 

2.  Cutting  off  in  lathe 

15. 

Finishing  powder  pocket,  diaphragm 

3.  Machining  for  centering  in   drilling 

chamber  and  seat 

machine 

16. 

Finish  facing  base 

4.  Centering  in  drilling  machine 

17. 

Nosing 

5.  Scoring  for  driver  in  air  press 

18. 

Rough-boring  and  facing  open  end 

6.  Rough-turning 

19. 

Finish-boring  end 

7.  Facing  base 

20. 

Tapping 

8.  Rough  taper  boring 

21. 

Profiling 

9.  Roughing    out    diaphragm    chamber 

22. 

Grooving    for    rotating    band    and 

and  seat 

crimping  seat 

10.  Rough-drilling  powder  pocket 

23. 

Dovetailing 

11.  Heat-treated 

24. 

Knurling 

12.  Finish  taper  bored 

25. 

Grinding  two  diameters 

13.  Second      roughing      of      diaphragm 

26. 

Grinding  end  of  base 

chamber  and  the  seat 

27. 

Inspection  all  over 

28. 

Banding 

FIG.  47.   SHELL  FORGINGS  ON  TRUCK  PLATFORMS,  AND  LIFT  TRUCK  USED 


The  shell-machining  shop  is  well  lighted  and  well  arranged  for  its 
single  purpose.  A  good  concrete  floor  makes  the  trucking  an  easy  matter. 
The  forgings  as  received  are  stacked  in  double  pyramidal  piles  on  wooden 


128 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


truck  platforms,  Fig.  47.  Lift  trucks  of  the  type  shown  are  used  to  move 
the  work  from  place  to  place.  Both  the  forgings  and  a  large  part  of  the 
machined  work  are  thus  moved. 

The  first  machining  operation  is  to  trim  or  cut  off  the  forging  to  a 
length  of  8^6  in.,  measuring  from  the  inside.  This  is  done  in  a  Hill 
motor-driven  lathe,  operation  1.  The  forging  is  chucked  in  a  universal, 
three-jawed  chuck.  The  right  setting  is  obtained  by  a  setting  rod  A,  the 
end  of  which  butts  against  the  inside  end  of  the  work.  This  rod  is  made 
to  slide  in  the  holding  bracket  B,  and  when  in  gaging  position  may  be 
locked  by  a  pin  that  fits  into  an  offset  slot  at  C.  A  trimmed  shell  is 
shown  at  D.  As  soon  as  the  work  is  set  and  the  chuck  jaws  are  tightened, 
the  gaging  rod  is  pulled  back  out  of  the  way. 

After  being  cut  off,  the  forging  goes  to  the  drilling-machine  fixture, 
operation  2,  and  the  plug  on  the  bottom,  or  ''button"  is  machined  off  to 
a  definite  distance  from  the  inside  end.  One  of  the  forgings  is  shown  at 
A.  It  is  slipped  down  over  the  expanding  mandrel  B  until  the  inside 
end  rests  on  the  stop  C.  After  the  shell  is  on  the  mandrel,  it  is  swung 
up  under  the  bushing  yoke  and  locked  by  the  knurled-head  pin  D,  which 


OPERATION    1.       CUTTING    OFF    END 


Machine  Used — Hill  motor-driven  lathe. 

Fixtures — Three-jaw  universal  chuck  and  extra  heavy  tool  block. 

Gages — Work-setting  gage  on  machine. 

Production — 40  to  45  per  hr. 

Lubricant — Soap  water . 


Chap.  V| 


THREE-INCH  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL 


129 


OPERATION  2.      MACHINING  FOR  CENTERING 

Machine  Used — Drilling  machine. 

Fixtures  Used — Special,  with  expand- 
ing mandrel  holder,  drill  with  very  slight 
lip  angle  to  provide  center. 

Gages — Stop  on  end  of  mandrel. 

Production — 55  to  60  per  hr. 

Lubricant — Soapwater. 


OPERATION      3.       CENTERING 

Machine  Used — Drilling  machine. 

Fixtures  Used — Special,  with  expand- 
ing mandrel  holder,  combination  drill  and 
countersink. 

Gages — Stop  on  end  of  mandrel. 

Production — 55  to  60  per  hr. 

Lubricant — Soapwater. 


130 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


OPERATION  4.       SCORING   FOR  DRIVER 

Machine  Used — Hannifin  air  press,  100 
lb.  pressure. 

Fixtures  Used — Baseplate  with  center, 
six-blade  scoring  tool. 

Gages — None. 

Production — 10  to  15  per  min. 

Lubricant^ — None. 


OPERATION    5.       ROUGH-TURNING 

Machine  Used — Hill  No.  3  motor-driven  lathe,  160  r. p.m. 
Fixtures  Used — Six-blade  driven  in  spindle,  No.  2  stellite  tool. 
Gages — Snap,  go  and  not  go. 
Production — 18  per  hr. 
Lubricant — Soapwater. 


Chap.  Vj 


THREE-INCH  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL 


131 


r< 

J^  t  f  <1 

'•h^\ 

i 

^^^^j 

i^: 


OPERATION    6.       FACING    BASE 

Machine  Used — Hill  No.  3  motor-driven  lathe. 

Fixtures  Used — Regular  expanding  chuck  and  tool  block. 

Gages — One  chuck  and  two  carriage  stops,  go  and  not  go  gage  for  length. 

Production — 31  per  hr. 

Lubricant — Soapwater. 


D 

II    t 
■    ^ 

OPERATION   7.      BASE-FACING 
LATHE,    SHOWING    STOP 

Machine  Used — Hill  No. 
3  motor-driven  lathe. 

Fixtures  Used — Same  as 
shown  for  operation  6. 

Gages — One  chuck  and 
two  carriage  stops,  go  and 
not  go  gage  for  length. 

Production — 31  per  hr. 

Lubricaiit — Soapwater. 


132 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


OPERATION    8.      ROUGH    TAPER    BORING 

Machine  Used — Hill  No.  3  turret  lathe. 

Fixtures  Used — Profiling  attachment  for  turret,  single-point  boring  tool. 

Gages — One  chuck  and  one  carriage  stop,  plug  and  taper-plug. 

Production — 21  per  hr. 

Lubricant — Soapwater. 


OPERATION   9.       ROUGHING   OUT  DIAPHRAGM  CHAMBER  AND  SEAT 


Chap.  V] 


THREE-INCH  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL 


133 


OPERATION     10.       ROUGH-DRILLINQ.     POWDER     POCKET 

Machine  Used — Hill  No.  3  turret  lathe. 

Fixtures  Used — One  special  boring  tool  and  one  round-cornered  drill. 

Gages — One  chuck  and  one  carriage  stop,  fiat  steel,  double  end,  go  and  not  go. 

Production — 15  per  hr. 

Lubricant — Soapwater. 


OPERATION   11.       THE  PREHEATING   AND  HEATING  FURNACE 

Furnace  Used — Tate-Jones. 

Special  Apparatus — Handling  tongs  and  handled  weights,  pyrometers  and  alarm 
bells  for  timing. 

Production — 1  per  min.,  heated  8  min.  each. 


134 


SHRAPNEL 

^,- ,   ..,  y.k       ■  .  JHHL 

.^■^^^^IBB 

[Sec.  I 


OPERATION  12.       DRAWING  FURNACE  AND  LEAD  BAT  APPLIED   PRIOR  TO   FINISHING   CUTS 

Furnace  Used — Tate-Jones. 

Special  Apparatus — Handling  tongs  and  handled  weights,  pyrometers  and  alarm 
bells  for  timing. 

Production — 1  every  2  min.,  heated  16  min.  each. 

Note — Drawing  temperatures  vary  with  different  lots  of  steel.  The  variations 
are  charted. 


OPERATION    13.       FINISHING    DIAPHRAGM    CHAMBER    AND    SEAT    AND    POWDER    POCKET 

Machine  Used — Hill  No.  3  turret  lathe. 
Fixtures  Used — Special  head  cutters. 
Gages — Plug  and  flat  double  end,  go  and  not  go. 
Production  (three  operations) — 12  per  hr. 
Lubricant — Oil. 


Chap.  V] 


THREE-INCH  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL 


135 


OPERATION    14.       NOSING 


Machine  Used — Punch  press. 

Fixtures  Used — Closing  die  and  slotted  bed  block. 

Gages — Two  setting  stops  at  back  of  holder. 

Production — 300  per  hr. 

Lubricant — ^Lard  oil. 


136 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


OPERATION   15.      BORING  AND  TAPPING  NOSE 

Machine  Used — Hill  No.  3  turret  lathe. 

Fixtures  Used — Two  single-point  boring  tools  and  Murchey  collapsing  tap. 

Gages — Stop  back  of  chuck,  carrier  stop,  plug  thread  gage. 

Production  (three  operations) — 25  per  hr. 

Lubricant — No.  1  lard  oil  with  5  per  cent,  kerosene. 


OPERATION    16.       GROOVING  AND  DOVETAILING 

Machine  Used — ^Lathe. 

Fixtures  Used — Special  three-cutter  tool  block,  special  dovetail  cutting  device. 

Gages — Three  carriage  stops,  groove  snap  gage,  dovetail  gage. 

Production — 31  per  hr. 

Lubricant — Soapwater. 


Chap.  V] 


THREE-INCH  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL 


137 


OPERATION    17.      KNURLING 


Machine  Used — ^Lathe. 

Fixtures  Used — Tool  block  to  hold  knurl. 

Gages — Snap  gage. 

Production — 60  per  hr. 

Lubricant — Soapwater. 


OPERATION     18.       GRINDING TWO     DIAMETERS 


Machine  Used — ^Landis  grinder. 
Fixtures  Used — None. 
Gages — Snap,  go  and  not  go. 
Production — 10  per  hr. 


138 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


OPERATION   19.       GRINDING   OFF  CENTER  BUTTONS 

Machine  Used — Gardner  disk  grinder. 
Fixture  Used — Special  holder  on  swing  carrier. 
Gages  Used — Overall. 


slides  in  the  hole  E  and  enters  a  corresponding  bushed  hole  in  the  carrier. 
The  expanding  jaws  of  the  mandrel  consist  of  two  sets,  of  three  each, 
like  those  at  F.  They  are  moved  in  or  out  by  a  sliding  taper  pin  in  the 
center  of  the  mandrel,  which  is  operated  by  a  cam  movement  and  by 
the  hand  and  foot  levers  G  and  H.  The  expanding-mandrel  jaws  are  held 
in  contact  with  the  taper  center  pin  by  bands  springs  I,  which  are  snapped 
into  recesses  milled  in  the  jaw  ends.  The  drill  J  works  through  a  steel 
bushing  in  the  top  of  the  yoke  and  is  ground  almost  straight  on  the  cutting 
end.  Just  enough  lip  angle  is  ground  on  it  to  leave  a  slightly  hollowed 
spot  for  the  center  drill  to  operate  in. 

The  centering  is  done  with  a  combination  center  drill  and  countersink, 
using  the  fixture  seen  in  operation  3.  This  is  very  similar  to  the  one  just 
shown,  except  that  there  is  no  hand  or  foot  lever  used.  The  action  of 
swinging  the  carrier  up  under  the  yoke  slides  the  lower  end  of  the  taper 
pin  over  a  cam  underneath  and  causes  the  jaws  to  expand  and  grip  the 
shell.  The  carrier  is  locked  in  place  by  a  sliding  pin  A  exactly  as  in  the 
other  fixture.  As  the  carrier  is  pulled  toward  the  operator  after  the  work 
is  drilled,  the  action  automatically  releases  the  jaws,  and  the  shell  may 
be  easily  lifted  off  the  mandrel. 


Chap.  V] 


THREE-INCH  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL 


139 


For  the  roughing  outside  work  the  shell  is  held  between  a  tail  center 
and  a  six-point  driver  in  the  lathe  spindle.  To  make  it  easy  for  the  lathe 
operators  to  set  the  shells,  the  driving  points  are  scored  into  the  open 
end  of  the  shells  in  the  air  press,  operation  4.  One  of  the  shells  is  shown 
with  the  scored  points  indicated  at  ^.  In  doing  the  work  the  shell  is 
set  with  its  center  hole  over  the  locating  center  B.  The  scoring  tool  C 
is  then  brought  down  by  operating  the  valve  lever  D. 

Next  comes  a  lathe  operation,  which  consists  in  roughing  off  the  out- 
side. The  shell  is  held,  between  the  tail  center  A  and  the  six-point 
driver   B,    shown   in    detail   in    Fig.    48.       Except    for    some    minor 


■klcfpfor^ 
/■  >J  Jk^"Ffllisi-erhead 

>]  Screws;  Counter  bore 

for  Head 

PIG.    48.      DETAILS    OF    SIX-POINT    WORK    DRIVEN 

features  it  is  the  same  as  the  scoring  tool  of  the  previous  operation.  About 
%2  in.  of  metal  is  removed  from  the  diameter  of  the  forging  in  this 
roughing  operation,  using  a  No.  2  stellite  tool  in  an  Armstrong  holder. 

For  facing  the  base  the  shell  is  chucked  as  in  operation  6.  In  order 
quickly  to  set  the  shells  a  uniform  distance  into  the  chuck  jaws,  a  special 
stop  A,  operation  7,  is  used.  Another  stop  B  is  provided  to  butt  the 
carriage  against,  and  the  stop  C  gives  the  correct  distance  for  feeding  in 
the  cross-shde.     A  shell  roughed  all  over  the  outside  may  be  seen  at  D. 

The  first  machine  operation  on  the  inside  is  to  rough  taper  bore,  opera- 
tion 8.  The  bore  is  not  a  straight  taper,  but  from  the  outside  end  the 
shell  is  bored  straight  for  1.631  in.,  then  taper  for  3.60  in.  and  straight 
again  for  1.850  in.  The  shell  is  held  in  the  lathe  chuck,  as  at  il.  The 
boring  is  done  with  a  single-point  tool  j5,  which  is  shown  in  detail  in  Fig. 
49.  A  stop  C  regulates  the  carriage  travel.  The  taper  boring  is  really 
a  profile  operation,  controlled  by  a  master  D  on  the  back  of  the  turret. 
This  master  slides  between  guides  in  the  bracket  E,  which  is  bolted  to  the 
lathe  bed.  When  other  operations  are  being  performed,  the  master  is 
raised  up  out  of  the  guides  and  is  carried  by  the  turret,  to  which  it  is 


140 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


hinged.    Details  of  this  attachment,  and  the  way  it  is  placed  on  the  turret, 
are  given  in  Fig.  50. 

In  some  cases  the  taper  boring  and  the  next  two  operations  are  per- 
formed on  the  same  machine;  in  others  the  last  two  are  done  on  another 
machine,  which  accounts  for  some  apparent  discrepancies  in  the  set-ups 

-- -J4-' - >\ 


■H 


^Headless    ^Vf^    iJHladless  5eHcre» 


k  Head  less  Screnf 


FIG.    49.       DETAILS   OF   TAPER-FORMING  TOOL 

shown.  This  is  also  true  of  some  of  the  finishing  operations.  However, 
for  convenience  we  will  consider  the  taper  boring  as  a  separate  operation 
and  the  two  operations  of  roughing  out  the  diaphragm  chamber  and  seat 
and  rough  drilling  the  powder  pocket  as  done  on  another  machine. 


FIG.    50.      DETAILS    OF    TAPER-TURNING    ATTACHMENT 

Following  the  taper  boring,  the  diaphragm  chamber  and  seat  are 
roughed  out  with  the  tool  seen  in  operation  9  and  again,  in  detail,  in 
Fig.  51. 

The  rough-drilUng  of  the  powder  pocket  is  accomplished  with  a  round- 
cornered  drill,  operation  10,  which  is  2%  in.  in  diameter  and  is  run  in  to 
a  depth  of  S^^e  in. 


Chap.  V] 


THREE-INCH  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL 


141 


The  shells  have  now  been  roughed  outside  and  inside  and  are  sent  to 
be  heat-treated,  operation  11.  They  are  preheated  to  800  deg.  and  are 
then  placed  in  a  heating  bath  and  heated  to  1,500  deg.;  50  deg.  is  allowed 
for  removal  from  the  bath  to  the  quenching  tank.  Houghton's  quench- 
ing oil  at  1,450  deg.  is  used  in  the  tank. 

The  drawing  is  performed  in  the  heater  shown  in  operation  12.  The 
shells  are  placed  in  the  lead  bath  and  held  down  by  the  handled  weights, 
shown.     They  are  drawn  to  1,050  or  1,100  deg.  and  allowed  to  cool  in 


Presen+  Form 


V--4'- ^iU-i'-A 

Original.  Form 

FIG.  51.   DETAILS  OF  ROUGHING  TOOL  FOR  DIAPHRAGM  CHAMBER  AND  REST 


the  air.  The  degrees  of  heating  and  drawing  vary  somewhat  with  the 
different  lots  of  steel,  and  each  lot  has  to  be  tested  separately  and  treated 
accordingly.  A  chart  on  the  wall  shows  the  operator  what  treatment  to 
give  certain  numbered  lots. 

From  the  heat-treating  the  shells  are  trucked  back  to  the  machine 
shop,  where  the  first  machining  operations  are  done  on  the  inside  of  the 
shells. 


1 


'^No.30DriU 


inas'  K    g 
Taperfml 


FIG.    52.      DETAILS   OF   POWDER-POCKET   ROUGHING   TOOL 

The  first  operation  is  finish  taper  boring,  the  machine  and  tools  being 
the  same  as  previously  shown.  Oil,  however,  now  serves  as  a  lubricant, 
and  the  production  is  15  per  hr. 

The  diaphragm  chamber  and  seat  are  semifinished  with  a  tool  similar 
to  the  roughing  tool.  The  powder  pocket  is  rough-tooled  out,  as  may  be 
seen  in  operation  13,  with  a  tool  shown  in  detail  in  Fig.  52.  These  two 
tools  -are  followed  by  a  combination  finishing  tool  illustrated  in  detail 
in  Fig.  53.  This  tool  finishes  the  diaphragm  chamber,  the  seat  and  the 
powder  pocket  all  at  once.     The  base  is  finish-faced,  as  in  the  roughing 


142 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


operation,  the  production  being  40  per  hr.     The  heat  number  is  then 
restamped  on  the  base,  and  the  shell  is  ready  for  nosing. 

The  nosing  operation  consists  of  closing  in  the  open  end  of  the  shell, 
operation  14.  This  is  done  cold,  using  a  little  lard  oil  to  lubricate  the 
closing  die.  The  en(J  is  closed  in  to  about  221-^4  in.,  the  main  body  of  the 
shell  being  3.01  in.  in  diameter.     The  closing-in  extends  back  about 


■2j037- 


4F/ufes  cu^  Siral^hi     k  lio'-^^ 

00?"R:. 


1 


BFIufes  cui  15  Angle 
R.H  Lead  27669  i, 


FIG.    53. 


DETAILS   OF  TOOL  FOR  FINISHED   DIAPHRAGM   CHAMBER   AND   SEAT  AND 
POWDER   POCKET 


IJife  ill-)  the  measurements  being  outside  and  only  approximate.  Details 
of  the  nosing  die  are  shown  in  Fig.  54. 

The  next  three  operations  are  completed  on  the  same  lathe.  The 
shell  is  chucked  as  in  operation  15,  and  the  nose  is  rough-bored  and  faced. 
It  is  then  finish-bored  and  tapped.  For  this  work  No.  1  hard  oil  is  em- 
ployed, with  about  5  per  cent,  kerosene  in  it  to  make  it  run  right. 

A  centering  plug  with  a  crosshandle  for  driving  purposes  is  screwed  into 
the  shell,  giving  it  two  center  holes  to  locate  it  between  centers.  It  is 
then  placed  in  a  lathe  fitted  with  a  heavy  tool  block  carrying  three  cutting 
tools  that  profile  the  shell  as  they  are  fed  along  parallel  to  it,  turning  the 


\l..4- >!<--5'^-J 

FIG.    54.       DETAILS    OF    NOSING    DIE 


shell  to  three  different  diameters  in  different  sections  of  its  length.  De- 
tails of  the  tool  block  used  are  given  in  Fig.  55.  The  production  is  27 
per  hr.,  with  soapwater  as  a  lubricant. 

The  grooving  and  dovetailing  for  the  rotating  band  are  done  in  the 
machine  shown  in  operation  16.  Besides  the  band  groove,  a  groove  is 
also  cut  for  crimping  in  the  edges  of  the  cup  that  holds  the  propelling 


Chap.  V] 


THREE-INCH  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL 


143 


charge.  Besides  these  two  grooves,  the  base  edge  is  chamfered.  The 
two  grooves  and  the  chamfer  are  cut  with  three  tools  at  once,  set  in  the 
block  on  the  front  of  the  carriage.  The  clamping  top  is  removed  from 
this  block  in  order  to  show  the  position  of  the  three  cutters.  The 
grooves  and  the  chamfer  are  indicated  on  the  shell  at  A,  B  and  C.  The 
dovetailing  is  cut  with  the  special  crosstool  device  on  the  rear  of  the 
carriage.  This  device  is  shown  in  detail  in  Fig.  56.  The  operation  of 
the  dovetailing  cutters  leaves  a  slight  ridge  in  the  center  of  the  groove  for 
the  knurhng  operation. 


\Tt  I  //I       T* 

/^/i!         l<-./f->l<-/f-. 


Pigg PS 


U- e^- 


FIG.    55.      DETAILS     OF     PROFILING     TOOL    BLOCK 


From  the  grooving  lathe  the  shells  go  to  the  lathe  illustrated  in  opera- 
tion 17,  where  the  bottom  of  the  rotating-band  groove  is  knurled. 
The  knurl  is  seen  at  A  and  the  work  at  B. 

The  shells  are  ground  on  two  diameters  in  front  of  the  band  groove, 
operation  18.  Next,  they  go  to  the  grinder,  shown  in  operation  18, 
where  the  buttons  are  ground  off  the  bases.  A  shell  with  the  center 
button  still  in  place  is  shown  at  A  and  a  ground  one  at  B.  The  grinding 
fixture  is  simple  and  consists  of  two  V-blocks  and  an  adjustable  end  stop. 
A  screw  clamp  holds  the  shell  in  place  as  the  operator  swings  the  work 
back  and  forth  past  the  wheel. 

After  this  last  grinding  the  shells  are  thoroughly  inspected  all  over. 
Careful  check  is  kept  in  the  shop  also  by  inspectors  as  the  shells  pass  from 
one  machine  to  another.  In  addition  to  this  the  machine  operators  have 
gages  to  use  where  needed.  Some  of  the  rough  and  shop  gages  are  shown 
ing  Fig.  57  and  solne  of  the  finish  gages  in  Fig.  58. 


144 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


r^A^^/^--^ 


FIG.    56.      DETAILS    OF    THE    DOVE-TAILING    TOOL 


FIG.    57.      ROUGH    OR    SHOP    GAGES 

A — Rough  cut  bottom;  B — Finish  cut  bottom;  C — Rough  taper;  D — Rough  taper; 
E — Finish  taper;  F — Finish  taper;  G — ^Lower  cyUnder;  H — Profile;  I — Rough  powder 
pocket,  depth;  J — Finish  powder  pocket,  depth;  K — Powder  pocket,  go  and  not  go; 
L — Overall  rough. 


Chap.  V] 


THREE-INCH  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL 


145 


The  copper  rotating  bands  are  received  all  ready  to  slip  down  over 
the  shell.  This  work  is  done  by  hand,  or  sometimes  the  bands  need  to  be 
lightly  tapped  down.  The  shell  with  a  band  in  place  is  set  into  a  West 
banding  machine  at  the  rate  of  95  per  hr.  The  holder  is  just  high  enough 
to  guide  the  copper  band  into  the  groove  as  the  jaws  close  in  around  it. 


FIG.    58.       FINAL    GAGES 

A — Bottom  thickness;  B — Go  and  not  go  plug;  C — Ring  diameter;  D — Powder 
pocket  depth;  E — Wall  thickness  indicator;  F — Go  and  not  go  diameter  snap;  G — 
Profile;  H — Powder  pocket,  go  and  not  go;  I — Diaphragm  chamber  go  and  not  go; 
J — Dovetail;  K — Overall. 

An  expanding  plug  or  mandrel  is  placed  inside  the  shell  to  prevent  any 
possibility  of  distortion  or  crushing.  This  mandrel  is  shown  in  detail  in 
Fig.  59^.  Here  the  taper  center  A  is  seen  projecting  slightly  from  the  end 
of  the  expanding  sleeve  B.  The  mandrel  is  dropped  into  the  shell  until 
the  shoulder  C  rests  on  the  nose.  The  handle  D  is  then  held  with  one 
hand  and  the  handle  E  turned  with  the  other.     This  action  draws  in 


THE     EXPANDING    MANDREL 


the  taper  center  expanding  the  sleeve  and  supports  the  inside  of  the  shell 
just  under  the  band  groove,  effectually  preventing  the  groove  from 
bulging  inward. 

This  is  the  last  operation  in  this  shop,  as  the  rest  of  the  work  is  done 
elsewhere.     After  the  final  inspection  the  shells  are  shipped  out. 

10 


CHAPTER  VI 

MANUFACTURING  12-IN.  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL^ 

On  account  of  their  size  and  the  accuracy  of  finish  demanded,  the 
manufacture  of  12-in.  shrapnel  shell  presents  many  interesting  problems, 
which  are  well  exemplified  in  the  processes  employed  in  making  the 
Russian  shell  detailed  in  Fig.  60.  Some  twenty-five  main  operations  are 
entailed,  an  economical  sequence  of  which  follows,  together  with  dia- 
grammatical views  of  the  more  important  operations  following  the  center- 
ing of  the  billets: 

SEQUENCE   OF   OPERATIONS 

1.  Lay  off  ends  of  billet  for  center  and  center  punch. 

2.  Square  center  and  countersink. 

3.  Rough-turn  and  cut  blanks  to  length. 

4.  Rough-bore. 

5.  Second  bore. 

6.  Bore  powder  chamber  and  bore  for  diaphragm. 

7.  Fit  in  diaphragm. 

8.  Nose. 

9.  Turn  inside  form. 

10.  Open  end  faced  and  thread  cut  to  suit  adapter. 

11.  Fit  in  adapter  and  turn  part  of  outside  and  machine  contour 

12.  Face  back  end  and  turn  rest  of  body  on  outside. 

13.  Turn  channel  and  knurl. 

14.  Force  on  copper  band. 

15.  Turn  copper  band  to  shape. 

16.  Final  inspection. 

17.  Remove  plug,  adapter  bottom  and  adapter. 

18.  Fit  in  spider  to  hold  powder  tube  central. 

19.  Fill  in  bullets  and  rosin. 

20.  Remove  spider,  place  on  adapter,  fill  with  bullets  to  required  weight. 

21.  Insert  adapter  bottom. 

22.  Fill  with  powder  through  powder  tube. 

23.  Fill  powder  tube  with  pellets. 

24.  Final  weighing. 

25.  Screw  in  plug  and  grease  ready  for  packing. 

*  Robert  Mawson,  Associate  Editor,  American  Machinist. 

146 


Chap.  VI]        MANUFACTURING  12-IN.  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL 


147 


\<-—-0i^'£—: 


^f^ 


148 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


n> 


<. 


\wm 


OPERATION  3.   ROUGH-TURNING  AND  CUTTING  THE  BLANKS 

Machine  Used — Bement-Miles  lathe,  using  3'^-in.  width  cutting-off  tool. 
Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — None. 
Gages — None. 
Production — 4  in  12  hours. 

Lubricant — Turn  dry  and  use  50  per  cent,  lard  oil  and  50  per  cent,  kerosene  oil 
when  cutting  off. 

Note — Between  grindings  of  tool — Two. 

Lathe  operates  at  6  r.p.m.  with  a  feed  of  0.125  in.  per  rev. 


OPERATION   4.       ROUGH  BORING 

Machine  Used — Bement-Miles  lathe. 

Special  Fixtures — Steadyrest,  supports  for  boring  bar,  boring  bar,  head  and  cutter. 

Gages — None. 

Production — One  in  8  hours. 

Lubricant—' '  Exanol . ' ' 

Note — Between  grindings  of  tool — Average  two  shells. 

Note — ^Lathe  operates  at  30  r.p.m.  and  feed  of  0.014  in.  per  revolution. 


Chap.  VI]        MANUFACTURING  12-IN.  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL 


149 


OPERATIONS  5  AND  6.   SECOND  BORING;  POWDER  CHAMBER  AND  SEAT  FOR  DIAPHRAGM 

Machine  Used — Specially  designed  lathe. 

Special  Fixtures — Holding  chuck  for  shell. 

Gages — Depth  and  contour. 

Production — One  in  7  hours. 

Lubricant — "Exanol." 

Note — Average  number  of  shells  between  grindings  of  tools — One. 

Lathe  operates  at  30  r.p.m.  with  a  feed  of  0.014  in.  per  revolution. 


OPERATIONS    7    AND    8.      THE    NOSING 

Machine  Used — Niles-Bement-Pond  2,500  lb.  steam  hammer. 
Special  Fixtures  Used — Crude-oil  furnace  heating  four  at  once,  special  tongs  for 
handling  work,  truck  to  convey  shells  to  hammer,  special  top  and  bottom  dies  and 
trucks  to  machining  department. 

Gages — Contour. 

Production — Steam  hammer  and  four  men,  four  shells  per  hour. 


150 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


OPERATION    9.       TURNING    INSIDE     FORM 

Machines  Used — litchburg  and  special. 

Special  Fixtures — Chuck,  boring  bar  and  radius  attachments. 
Gages — Form. 
Production — One  in  4  hr. 
Lubricant — None. 

Note — Between  grindings  of  tool,  3  shells.     Lathe  operates  at  20  r.p.m.  with  feed 
of  }i2  in.  per  revolution. 


'-'''*«iii!!ijji[F  ■ 


OPERATION  10.   FACING  OPEN  END  AND  CUTTING  THREAD 

Machines  Used — Fitchburg  and  special. 
Special  Fixtures — Chuck,  facing  and  thread-cutting  tools. 
Gages — Depth. 
Production — One  in  13^  hr. 
Lubricant — None. 

Note — Between  grindings  of  tool,  4  shells.     Lathe  operates  at  20  r.p.m.  with  feed 
of  }'i2  in.  per  revolution. 


Chap.  VI]         MANUFACTURING  12-IN.  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL 


151 


OPERATION   11.       FORMING  THE  OUTSIDE 

Machines  Used — Fitchburg  and  special. 
Special  Fixtures — Chuck,  link  and  radius  attachments. 
Gages — Pbrm. 
Production — One  in  5  hr. 
Lubricant — None. 

Note — Between  grindings  of  tool,  5  shells.    Lathe  operates  at  20  r.p.m.  with  }i2- 
in.  feed. 


OPERATION    12-A.      FACING  BACK   END    OP   SHELL 

Machines  Used — New  Haven,  Boye  &  Emmes  and  special. 
Special  Fixtures — Threaded  chuck  and  steady  rest. 
Gages — ^Length  and  snap. 
Production — One  in  3  hr. 
Lubricant — None. 

Note — Between  grindings  of  tool,  1  shell.    Lathe  operates  at  20  r.p.m.  with  feed 
of  H  6  ill'  P^r  revolution. 


152 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


OPERATION    12-B.       TURNING    REST    OF  BODY 

Machines  Used — New  Haven,  Boye  &  Emmes  and  special. 
Special  Fixtures — Chucks. 
Gages — Snap. 
Production — One  in  2  hr. 
Lubricant — None. 

Note^Between  grindings  of  tool,  2  shells.     Lathe  operates  at  20  r.p.m.  with  feed 
of  ^6  in.  per  revolution. 


OPERATION     13.       TURNING     AND     KNURLING 

Machines  Used — New  Haven,  Boye  &  Emmes  and  special. 
Special  Fixtures — Two  chucks  and  steadyrest. 
Gages — Snap  and  form. 
Lubricant — None. 

Note^Between  grindings  of  tool,  2  shells.     Lathe  operates  at  20  r.p.m.  with  feed 
of  Ke  in.  per  revolution. 


Chap.  Vl] 


MANUFACTURING  12-IN.  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL 

mil 


153 


OPERATION  14.       COMPRESSING  THE  COPPER  BAND 

Machine  Used — Niles-Bement-Pond  steam  hammer. 

Special  Fixtures — Dies  fitted  to  steam  hammer;  special  screw  bar  and  clamp  for 
turning  shell  between  dies;  trucks  to  convey  between  forge  and  machine  shop. 
Gages — None. 
Production — Six  per  hour. 


OPERATION     15.       MACHINING     COPPER    BAND 

Machine  Used — Boye  &  Emmes. 

Special  Fixtures — Threaded-plate  chuck  and  form  tool. 
Gages — Form. 

Production — One  shell  per  hour. 
Lubricant — None. 

Note — Between  grindings  of  tool,  2  shells.     Lathe  operates  at  150  r.p.m.,  and 
feed  is  by  hand. 


OPERATION  I.       MACHINING  THE   ADAPTER — FORMING    INSIDE,    FACING  AND  THREADING 

Machine  Used — ^Lodge  &  Shipley.  ■ 

Special  Fixtures — Chuck,  link  and  attachment  to  lathe. 
Gages — Form. 

Note — Between  grindings  of  tool,  1  piece;  speed  and  feed  of  lathe,  42  r.p.m.  with 
feed  of  Ke  iii-  P^r  revolution. 


154 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


OPERATION  II.      MACHINING  THE  ADAPTER FACING  SMALL  END,  BORING  AND  THREADING 

Machine  Used — ^Lodge  &  Shipley. 

Special  Fixtures — Chuck,  flat  twisted  drill  and  counterbore. 
Gages — Thread  and  form. 
Lubricant — None. 

Note — Between  grindings  of  tool,  2  pieces;  speed  and  feed  of  lathe,  42  r.p.m. 
with  feed  of  ^e  iii-  P^r  revolution. 


OPERATION  III.       MACHINING   THE   DIAPHRAGM 

Machines  Used — Boye  &  Emmes,  Lodge  &  Shipley. 
Special  Fixtures — Standard  chuck,  drills  and  turning  tools. 
Gages — Radius,  depth  and  form. 
Production — One  in  2  hr. 
Lubricant — None. 

Note — Between  grindings  of  tools,  2  pieces;  speed  and  feed  of  lathe,  42  r.p.m. 
with  feed  of  Ke  in.  per  revolution. 


Chap.  VI]  MANUFACTURING  12-IN.  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL 


155 


OPERATION    IV.       MACHINING    ADAPTER    BOTTOM 

Machines  Used — ^Lodge  &  Shipley,  Boye  &  Emmes. 
Special  Fixtures — Standard  chuck  and  jig. 
Production — Four  per  hour. 
Lubricant — None. 

Note — Between  grindings  of  tool,  25  pieces;  speed  and  feed  of  lathe,  110  r.p.m. 
with  feed  of  3^6  in.  per  revolution. 


OPERATION    V.       MACHINING     ADAPTER    PLUG 

Machines  Used — Lodge  &  Shipley,  Boye  &  Emmes. 
Special  Fixtures — Chucks  and  turning  tools. 
Gages — Ring  and  thread. 
Lubricant — None. 

Note — Between  grindings  of  tool,  5  pieces;  speed  and  feed  of  lathe,  110  r.p.m. 
with  feed  of  Ke  in.  per  revolution. 


156 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


C^ 


OPERATION     19.      FILL    WITH    BALLS    AND    ROSIN 

Equipment — Spider,  funnel  and  rosin-pouring  pan. 
Production — Two  men,  2  per  hr. 


OPERATION  20.      FILLING  ADAPTER  WITH  BALLS  AND  ROSIN 

Equipment — Plug  to  fit  in  top  of  powder  tube  and  rosin-pouring  scoop. 
Production — Two  men,  6  per  hr. 


Chap.  Vl]  MANUFACTURING  12.IN.  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL 


157 


OPERATIONS     22     AND     23.       LOADING     WITH     POWDER 

Equipment — Funnel  to  suit  adapter  end  of  shell. 
Production — One  man,  3  per  hr. 


OPERATION    24.       FINAL     WEIGHING 

Equipment — Hook  in  shell  nose;  crane  and  scales. 


158 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


Drill  for  6,  ^  Capscrews 


OPERATION    25.      BOXING    THE    SHELL 

Equipment — Crane,  truck  and  packing  case. 

The  steel  from  which  the  blanks  are  made  comes  in  billets  averaging 
from  9  to  12  ft.  in  length  and  approximately  12%  in.  in  diameter.     Its 

chemical  analysis  is:  Carbon,  0.47  per 
cent.;  manganese,  0.68  per  cent.;  phos- 
phorus, 0.022  per  cent.;  sulphur,  0.035 
per  cent.  The  physical  analysis  is: 
Tensile  strength,  90,000  to  110,000  lb. 
per  sq.  in.;  elastic  limit,  50,000;  elonga- 
tion, not  less  than  8  per  cent.;  reduc- 
tion of  area,  not  less  than  21  per  cent. 
For  the  operation  of  rough-turning  the 
outside  of  the  billet  and  cutting  the 
blanks  to  length,  which  follows  the 
centering  operations,  the  billet  is  held 
on  the  centers  of  a  lathe  and  driven 
with  a  dog  attached  to  the  faceplate. 
The  bar  is  rough-turned  to  121/^6  in. 
and  cut  into  lengths  of  about  27 J':^  in., 
Rj::ii  JOi    :      I  !f--ilB-4     no  gage  being  used. 

special  chuck,  Fig.  61,  for  the  next 
operation,  which  is  rough-boring  to 
53^^  in.  in  diameter.  The  boring  bar, 
head  and  cutter  for  this  operation  are 
shown  in  Fig.  62.  The  depth  gage, 
which  is  of  the  pin  type  may  be  seen 
in  Fig.  63.  The  bar  is  supported  and 
guided  through  special  clamps  fitted 
on  the  lathe  carriage.  A  detail  of  this  attachment  is  given  in  Fig.  64. 
It  will  be  observed  that  the  guide  clamp  is  fitted  with  a  %-in.  key 


1  U -1^- 

U ,5"- >i 

PIG.    61.      HOLDING  CHUCK°POR 
LATHE 


Chap.  VI]  MANUFACTURING  12-IN.  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL  159 

■JkThick 


iA  !'>..,'/4f/p 


Boring  Bar 


Chuck 


Rough  Bo-f+oming  Tool 


FIG.  62.   DETAIL  OF  BORING  BAR,  HEAD  AND  CUTTER 


l^iiiii'iiiiiiiiii 
k 


- n,....,mu.a, I....nrr^.^     \'y 

niiiiii((iiiii'i.iiiiii(Miiiiiij(iiiii'iiiiiii!»(i(rtii^^ 


Y 


•- •- ^i 

Tool  5+eel 
FIG.    63.      DEPTH  GAGE   FOR  ROUGH  BORE 

■§Dr!ll 


,J 


Drill  fori  Dowel 


|<-j"->l<-- 


_) '  oo_'_' 


.-J./J 


2-7 -—  -»| 

FIG.   64.      CLAMP  FOR  LATHE 


160 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  1 


FIG.    65.      STEADYREST  FOR  BORING 


1  Diam. 


^^ 


4f^\    IQI- 

;g^     -iDr///     \       .^^R. 


Li 


k— J^Z?/b/77.-->l 


Cu+her  Head 


\ 


-fK 


1^ 


U- 


■7.687S—-^ 


■sf 


-J 


Cuffer 

FIG.  66.   BORING  CUTTER  AND  HEAD 


-9.07 


U ^^'...- - J 

FIG.    67.       DETAIL  OF  BORING   CUTTER 


Chap.  Vl]  MANUFACTURING  12-IN.  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL 


161 


that  is  set  into  a  keyway  machined  in  the  boring  bar,  thus  holding  the 
bar  from  rotating.  The  outer  end  of  the  shell  is  supported  by  a  steady- 
rest,  a  detail  of  which  appears  in  Fig.  65. 


Chuck 
FIG.    68.       CUTTER   AND    CHUCK  FOR  POWDER   CHAMBER 


Roughing  Cu-H-er  for 
Powder  Chamber 


For  the  next  operation  the  blank  is  held  in  a  chuck  similar  to  that  in 
Fig.  61.  This  operation  is  opening  out  the  bored  hole  to  7.6875  in., 
using  a  boring  bar  like  that  in  Fig.  62  and  the  head  and  cutter  of 
Fig.  66.  This  tool  is  fed  into  the  shell  to  the  same  depth  as  the  roughing 
cutter — 243^  in.  The  cutter  is  then  removed 
and  the  9.07-in.  tool,  Fig.  67,  inserted  in  the 
same  head.  This  cutter  is  then  fed  into  the 
shell  for  approximately  16  in.,  measuring 
from  the  open  end. 

The  next  operation — the  sixth — is  per- 
formed with  the  shell  in  the  same  setting 
on  the  lathe.  The  powder  chamber  is  rough- 
and  finish-bored  with  a  bar  similar  to  that  in 
Fig.  62  holding  the  head  and  cutters,  Fig.  68. 
testing   the   depth  of  the  bored  hole.     The 


i  Thick- 


Tool  5+ee! 

FIG.    69.       GAGE    FOR   POWDER 
CHAMBER 

The  gage.  Fig.  63,  is  for 


machined  contour  of  the 
powder  chamber  is  measured  by  the  gage  shown  in  Fig.  69. 

The  next  suboperation  is  machining  the  surface  to  suit  the  diaphragm. 
A  boring  bar  similar  to  the  one  in  Fig.  62  is  used,  holding  a  head  like  that 


11 


162 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


illustrated  in  Fig.  66.  The  boring  cutter  appears  in  Fig.  70.  The 
gage  for  testing  this  bored  hole,  so  that  the  correct  depth  of  powder 
chamber  will  be  obtained,  is  illustrated  in  Fig.  71. 


9.04-- 


:    0.5  R. 


-■-Si-- 


■1 


FIG.  70.   BORING  CUTTER  FOR  DIAPHRAGM  SURFACE 


The  lathe  employed  in  boring  the  powder  chamber  and  machining 
for  the  diaphragm  is  shown  in  the  view  of  the  work  in  operations  5  and  6. 


FIG.  71.   GAGE  FOR  DEPTH  OF  POWDER  CHAMBER 

Before  the  shell  is  removed  from  the  chuck,  the  front  end  is  chamfered 
down  for  about  3  in.,  thereby  facilitating  the  nosing-in  operation,  which 


-■^U^OOnt:         f^ough  Turned- 
FIG.    72.       DETAIL  OF  ROUGH-TURNED   SHELL 

follows.     The  shell  at  this  stage  is  detailed  in  Fig.  72.     For  the  nosing 
operation,  for  which  it  is  transferred  to  the  blacksmith  shop,  the  shell  is 


Chap.  VI]  MANUFACTURING  12-IN.  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL 


163 


heated  in  a  special  crude-oil  furnace.  The  furnace  is  designed  to  heat 
four  shells  at  once,  and  the  approximate  temperature  is  1,600  deg.  F. 
The  average  consumption  of  crude  oil  is  10  gal.  per  hr. 

The  operation  of  inserting  the  diaphragm  and  nosing  is  shown  in 
operations  7  and  8.     After  a  shell  has  been  heated  to  the  desired  tempera- 


-.-iH 


^ 
^ 


-Ji 


Casf  Smooih 
!  V 


IH 


*=  i     Smooth 


•3? 


M 


-■2l"- >J 

FIG.    73.      DETAIL  OP  NOSING  DIES 


ture,  it  is  gripped  by  tongs,  and  transferred  by  means  of  the  truck  to 
special  dies  attached  to  a  steam  hammer.  The  diaphragm,  the  manu- 
facturing of  which  will  be  described  is  then  forced  inside  the  shell.  A  rod 
placed  in  the  hole  bored  to  receive  the  powder  tube  holds  the  shell 


FIG.    74.      BORING  BAR — INSIDE  OF  SHELL 


squarely.  The  shell  is  then  placed  in  the  furnace  and  heated  a  secdhd 
time.  When  the  correct  temperature  is  reached,  the  shell  is  again  placed 
between  the  dies  of  the  steam  hammer.  The  tup  of  the  hammer  carrying 
the  upper  die  is  then  forced  down  on  the  end  of  the  shell  until  the  correct 


164 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


nosing  is  obtained.  The  dies,  Fig.  73,  are  simply  fed  down  on  the  heated 
shell  until  their  horizontal  edges  meet,  no  gage  being  used  for  testing  the 
diameter,  the  contour  of  the  dies  producing  the  desired  shape. 


[< 5k.- 

-  .  > 

1 

C^.4- 

A 

> 

V 

1 

A 
< 

19.675"  - 

-  > 

K/r-/f->t<-^4--->T^li 
^     off 

Drill  and  counter- 


■To  be  doweled  when  assembled  y»ifh  No. 10  Tap^r  Pin 


flrillforNo.lO  Taper  Pin 

1 

1    '^ 

*  *i  1 

1 

5 

-A 

h - -f-^' --"T 

O-Cam     Bed 


n 

.-5 

A-Guide  Pin 


FIG.    75.       DETAILS   OF  CONTOUR  MACHINING   FIXTURES 

The  nosing  gang  consists  of  four  men,  one  of  whom  is  the  hammer 
man.     One  man  handles  the  tongs  for  placing  the  shell  in  the  furnace  and 

also  guides  the  blank  between  the 
dies  under  the  hammer.  After 
the  correct  contour  has  been  se- 
cured, the  shell  is  allowed  to  cool 
in  the  air;  then  it  is  returned  to 
the  machine  shop  for  the  subse- 
quent operations.  The  first  oper- 
ation (9)  is  turning  the  inside  form. 
The  shell  is  held  in  the  chuck, 
are  shown  in  Fig.  74.     The  bar  is 


FIG. 


76.       GAGE    AND    METHOD   OF   USING   IT 
TO   TEST  DEPTH   OF  BORE 


Fig.  61.     The  boring  bar  and  tool 


Chap.  VI]  MANUFACTURING  12-IN.  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL 


165 


held  in  the  tool  carriage  of  the  lathe  in  the  usual  manner.     The  desired 
contour  on  the  shell  is  obtained  by  the  guide  pin  A,  Fig.  75,  which  is 


^riiffurm"-    ''im^  ■"', 


m 


J 


U- - -8.25"- 

FIG.    77.       GAGE   FOR   OPEN  END   OF  SHELL 


METHOD   OF   USING   THE   CIAMP 


attached  to  the  bracket  tee  B  and  follows  the  path 
between  the  two  former  cams  C.  The  latter  are 
fastened  on  the  cam  bed  D,  which  is  held  on  the 
brackets  E,  fastened  on  the  side  of  the  lathe  bed. 
The  bracket  tee  is  attached  rigidly  to  the  tool  car- 
riage of  the  lathe.  The  open  end  of  the  shell  is 
next  faced,  the  correct  length  being  obtained  from 
the  powder  chamber  with  a  gage  and  straight-edge, 
as  in  Fig.  76.  The  hole  is  then  bored  to  8.23  in. 
in  diameter,  the  pin  gage.  Fig.  77,  being  employed 
to  test  the  machined  bore. 

A  thread  is  machined  in  the  bored  hole,  to  suit 
the  partly  machined  adapter,  the  manufacture  of 
which  will  be  treated  subsequently.     The  adapter 
shell,  using  a  clamp,  in  the  way  illustrated  in  Fig.  78 


Tosui^ac/ap-fer 
1.965" Top  of  Threacf 
1.607' Bottom  of  f 

6  Threads  per  Inch 
Ri^hfHand 


FIG.  79.   CHUCK  FOR 
ADAPTER  END  OF  SHELL 

is  screwed  into  the 
;  the  chuck.  Fig.  79, 


.^  i^ 


r-s'- 


■¥y- 


~K\\     [G^  "Bushing,  hardened      '^o 


Link 


^- 


IM'^ 


Fulcrum  fiA.O.  7? 
hardened' 


FIG.    80.       DETAIL   OF  LINK 


is  screwed  into  the  end  of  the  adapter  and  the  lathe  center  set  up  in  the 
counter-sunk  hole  of  the  chuck.  The  outside  of  the  adapter  and  also 
part  of  the  outside  of  the  shell  are  then  turned  to  the  correct  contour. 


166 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


For  this  operation  the  link,  Fig.  80,  is  attached  to  the  bracket  tee  with 
the  stud  A  J  Fig.  80,  after  the  guide  pin  has  been  removed.  The  ful- 
crum pin  B  is  placed  in  position,  fitting  into  a  machined  hole  in  the 
cam  bed.     The  arrangement  of  the  attachment  may  be  seen  in  Fig.  81. 


FIG.    81.      ARRANGEMENT  OF  PROFILING  FIXTURE 

The  turning  tool  is  held  in  the  carriage  of  the  lathe.     As  the  carriage 
is  fed  forward  with  the  shell  revolving,  the  link,  fulcruming  on  the  pin, 


FIG.  82.   GAGE  FOR  MEASURING  LENGTH  OF  MACHINED  CONTOUR 

draws  the  carriage  and  turning  tool  on  an  arc.  Thus  the  desired  contour 
of  the  part  is  obtained.  The  gage  for  measuring  the  length  of  the  ma- 
chined surface  appears  in  Fig.  82. 


Chap.  VI]  MANUFACTURING  12-IN.  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL 


167 


The  gage  in  Fig.  83  is  for  testing  the  machined  contour  while  the  shell 
is  in  the  lathe  with  the  chuck  in  position.  Fig.  84  depicts  the  tool  em- 
ployed as  the  final  profile  test  gage  after  the  chuck  has  been  removed. 

For  the  next  operation  the 

•     •  K  ]3-"  — 

first  suboperation  is  machining     r " ^ '^ 

a  surface  to  suit  the  steadyrest, 

Fig.  64,  and  at  right  angles  to 

the    end    already    faced.     The 

chuck,  Fig.  85,  is  screwed  into 

the  open  end  of  the  shell  after 

the  adapter  has  been  removed. 

A  strap  held  on  the  faceplate  of         pi^.  83.    gage  for  radius  of  head 

the  lathe  comes  in  contact  with 

one  of  the  lugs  on  the  chuck,  thus  providing  the  driving  medium.     The 

chuck,  Fig.  86,  is  placed  on  the  base  end,  and  the  shell  is  adjusted  with 


s  .-- 


.9^ 


FIG,    84.       GAGE   FOR  PROFILE   OF  HEAD 


the  four  setscrews  until  it' runs  concentrically.     A  surface  is  then  ma- 
chined to  suit  the  steadyrest.     The  chuck  is  then  removed,  and  the 


i_ 

fhratcffo5t/ifhl 
on  own  Center 


FIG.    85.       CHUCK  FOR  OPEN  END   OF  SHELL 


base  of  the  shell  is  faced  to  length,  using  the  gage.  Fig.  87,  in  the  man- 
ner shown. 

The  gage.  Fig.  88,  is  for  testing  the  radius  on  the  corner  of  the  base 


168 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


•4,  ^Screws 


and  for  turning  the  outer  periphery.     A  notch  is  cut  to  suit  the  0.9-in. 

section  and  to  serve  as  a  guide  from  which 
the  channel  will  be  machined. 

The  outer  periphery  is  also  turned  at 
the  same  setting  to  11.94  in.  for  a  width  of 
about  1  in.  The  gage  for  the  diameter  is 
given  in  Fig.  89. 

The  chuck,  Fig.  90,  is  slid  on  the  turned 
portion  at  the  base  end  and  the  lathe  cen- 
ter set  up.  The  steady  rest  is  thrown  back 
out  of  the  way  for  the  next  suboperation 
— turning  the  remainder  of  the  body.  The 
gages  for  the  turned  diameters  are  seen  in 
Figs.  89  and  91. 

In  turning  and  knurling  the  channel  the 

shell  is  held  as  described  for  the  previous 

operation.     It  is,  however,  supported  with 

The  channel  is  machined  with  an  undercut  or 


86.       CHUCK    FOR  BASE   END 
OF  SHELL 


the  steadyrest,  Fig.  64. 


FIG.  87.   GAGE  FOR  OVERALL  OF  SHELL 


•0.9 --■>\ 


,0^ 


I 


^^ 


bevel,  on  each  side.     For  this  purpose  left-  and  right-hand  side  tools  are 
set  at  the  correct  angle  and  held  in  the  tool  post 
of  the  lathe.     The  gage  for  testing  the  bottom 
diameter  of  the  channel  is  shown  in  Fig.  92;  the 
width  and  contour  gage,  in  Fig.  93. 

The  next  suboperation  is  knurling  the  chan- 
nel. The  tool.  Fig.  94,  for  this  operation  is  held 
in  the  tool  carriage  of  the  lathe  and  fed  across  the 
surface  of  the  turned  channel,  with  the  shell  re- 
volving, until  the  desired  depth  of  knurl  is  secured. 

The  shell  is  then  transferred  to  the  forge  shop, 
to  have  the  copper  band  compressed  on.     Fig.  95  is  a  detail  of  the  band 
as  received  at  the  plant. 


S^e/. 


8.       RADIUS  GAGE 
FOR  BASE 


Chap.  VI]  MANUFACTURING  12-IN.  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL 


169 


si/4 


A 

B 

11.46 

nA5 

12.31 

12.30 

11.91 

11.96 

11.94- 

11.90 

FIGS.  89,  91,  92  AND  103.     snap  gages 


Section  A-A 

FIG.    90.      CHUCK  FOR  BASE  END   OF  SHELL 


--  —R50' 


1 


II  0.24" 


i'     111,."-,. 


FIG.   93.      GAGE  FOR  BAND   GROOVE 


170 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


To  compress  the  band  on  the  shell,  the  band  is  first  slipped  on  and  the 
shell  placed  between  the  dies,  Fig.  96,  which  are  attached  to  the  steam 
hammer.  With  the  shell  in  position  the  upper  die  is  fed  down  until  the 
copper  band  has  been  forced,  or  compressed,  firmly  into  the  machined 
channel. 


.._..a'....£::J-1 


'f1ach.5teel^ 
f  Drive  fit 

FIG.  94.   THE  KNURLING  TOOL  FOR  CHANNEL 

The  gang  employed  in  compressing  the  band  on  the  shell  numbers 

three — one  adjusting  the  crane  that  supports  the  shell,  one  operating  the 

hammer  and  the  other  turning  the  shell  around  between  the  dies.     For 

this  purpose  the  rod  that  screws  into  the  end  of  the  adapter  has  a  clamp 

fitted  with  handles,  as  shown.     A  leather  cover  is 

slipped  over  the  shell,  around  which  the  crane  sling 

is  placed,  so  that  the   turned   shell  will  not   be 

damaged. 

The  shell  is  next  returned  to  the  machine  shop 

for  the  operation  of  machining  the  copper  band. 

The  chuck.  Fig.  90,  is  placed  on  the  base  end  of 

the   shell,    and   the   threaded   chuck.    Fig.   97,  is 

screwed  into  the  threaded   end   of   the   adapter. 

The   dog.    Fig.    98,  is   fastened  on  the  threaded 

chuck.     A  plate  held  by  a  bolt  on  the  faceplate 

of  the  lathe  comes  in  contact  with  one  of  the  arms 

on  the  dog  and  thus  furnishes  the  driving  medium. 

The  form  tool  for  machining  the  band  is  illustrated 

in  Fig.  99. 

The  gage  for  testing  the  machined  contour  of  the  band  is  shown  in 

Fig.  100.     The  shell  is  now  ready  for  the  final  inspection  before  loading, 

weighing  and  shipping. 

For  the  final  inspection  the  shell  is  first  tested  with  the  adapter  out, 


15"  Turn 


Z.38"t0.0l'' 


Pure  Copper 

FIG.    95.       DETAIL  OF 
COPPER  BAND 


Chap.  VI]  MANUFACTURING  12-IN,  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL 


171 


the  gage  shown  in  Fig.  101  being  used.  The  powder  chamber  is  then 
measured  and  also  the  inside  of  the  shell  from  the  bottom  of  the  powder 
chamber  to  the  top  of  the  adapter  seat. 


( :enfer  Lmeof  Die 


rA^^^-^ 


FIG.    96.      DIES  FOR  COMPRESSING  BAND 


^\\\\\\\\\\v\\\\\\\\\\^^^^^^^  .  ^ 

U./4-''-->(<- •^f.^": — >| 

FIG.    97.      CHUCK  FOR   ADAPTER  END   WHEN  TURNING   END 


rn^    . 


Bft'Sefscrews 


FIG. 


U ^-/7k  -H 

DRIVING  DOG  FOR  NOSE  END  OF  SHELL 


The  adapter  is  screwed  down  home  by  a  clamp,  Fig.  77.     The  long 
gage  illustrated  in  Fig.  101  tests  the  overall  length  of  the  shell,  and  the 


172 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


outside  form  is  tested  with  the  contour  gage,  Fig.  102.     For  the  outside 
diameters  the  snap  gages,  Figs.  89,  91  and  103,  and  also  the  ring  gages. 


1 

4 

^ 

^i<« 

1^ 

L. 

{P; 

_. 

ij 

U 3'-- 

FIG.    99.      BAND-TURNING  TOOL 


FIG.    100.      GAGE  FOR  BAND 


-26.34- 


jSi-ee/ 


Gage  for  Leng+h  of  Body 


*.6age  for 
PoYvder  Chamber 


Gage  for  Shell  from 
Powder  Chamber  foTop 


vP 


31.70- 


jSiee/ 


Gage  for  Shell  wi+h  Adap-fer  in  Posi+ion 
FIG.    101.       LENGTH   AND   FORM  GAGES 


Figs.  104,  105  and  106,  are  employed.     The  final  gage  for  testing  the 
shell  is  the  profile  form,  Fig.  107. 


Chap.  VI]  MANUFACTURING  12-IN.  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL 


173 


zi.io- 


'W 


f  /    f  /  Zm^    #     X  T6su}i 


FIG.    102.      OUTSIDE   CONTOUR   GAGE 


MAXIMUM 

MINIMUM 

11.94" 

11.90" 

11.91" 

11.96' 

12.31"- 

12.30" 

FIGS.    104,    105   AND    106.      RING   GAGES 
40'-  


FIG.    107.      CONTOUR  GAGE  FOR  SHELL 


Dotted  lines 
show  finished 
size  ofnosepiec9 


U .s§Diam.- >l 

FIG.    108.      ADAPTER  FORGING 


174 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


Jans  to  be  hardened  '^Jp* 


,1-0.005 


^' 


tFT 


^  ^)vc 


6 

cxi: 


K-"?t— 


3^ 


:j" 


:^ — V — < 


^-|l</;^' 


Drill  for 
•^"Capscrer/s- 


FIG.    109.      CHUCK  FOR  HOLDING   ADAPTER  IN  THE  LATHE 


Chap.  VI]  MANUFACTURING  12-lN.  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL 


175 


The  first  operation  in  machining  the  adapter,  operation  I  in  the  se- 
quence, is  forming  the  inside,  facing  the  large  end  and  machining  the 


t— 

>,     ;    [i/i*    Capscrews; 
$     i     j  locaiefo 

^%r\    *V   suit  Work 

!    ^ct    '    f-1- 7" 

t~i 111 


FIG.    110. — ^BRACKET  TO  FASTEN  ON  LATHE 


thread.  Fig.  108  is  a  detail  illustration  of  the  adapter  forging.  For  the 
first  operation  the  rough  forging  is  placed  in  the  chuck.  Fig.  109,  which 
is  held  to  the  faceplate  of  the  lathe  with  capscrews.     The  chuck  jaws 


FIG.    111.       GAGE    FOR  INSIDE 
OF  ADAPTER 


FIG.    112.      RING  THREAD   GAGE 


A  are  tightened  against  the  forging  by  means  of  the  setscrews  B,  thus 
holding  the  part  securely.     It  will  be  observed  that  the  jaws  are  operated 


176 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


independently,  enabling  the  operator  to  hold  the  forging  in  the  chuck  so 
that  it  will  be  concentric. 


4ri 


5>io^^ 


i 


FIG.    113.       ADAPTER   LATHE  CHUCK 

■4i: 


X''""„ "V '^^'"; r;^     MACHINE  STEEL 

p-/— >]#[< 3 :— ->|<fH      (PackHarchn) 


"''-6  Threads  per  Inch--'' 
FIG.    114.      ADAPTER  THREAD   PLUG   GAGE 


FIG.    115.       FORM   GAGE  FOR  LENGTH 
OF   ADAPTER 


^_  o.g2_ 

i-'^-.-  Ji  _  _  -^ I J. 

Oe+ail  of  Threads.X 

FIG.    116.      DETAILS   OF   ADAPTER  FOR 
12-IN.    SHELLS 


The  link,  Fig.  80,  is  set  up  and  operated  in  a  similar  manner  to  that 
described  for  machining  the  inside  of  the  shell.     As  the  tool  carriage  is 


Chap.  VI] 


MANUFACTURING  12-lN.  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL 


177 


A-  ^  suifAdopi^r 


fed  forward  with  the  adapter  revolving,  the  link,  drawing  the  carriage 
on  an  arc,  machines  the  desired  contour  on  the  inside  of  the  part. 

The  special  bracket  to  hold  the  link  is  fitted  to  the  side  of  the  lathe 
bed,  as  in  Fig.  110.  An  illustration  of  the  set-up  for  performing  the 
machining  operation  is  shown  in  diagrammatical  form  in  operation  I. 
The  gage  for  testing  the  machined  contour  is  illustrated  in  Fig.  111. 

The  link  is  thrown  out  of  contact,  the  shoulder 
of  the  large  end  is  faced  and  the  thread  machined, 
using  tools  held  in  the  tool  carriage  in  the  usual 
manner.  The  ring  gage  for  testing  the  thread 
may  be  seen  in  Fig.  112. 

The  adapter  is  screwed  into  the  chuck.  Fig. 
113,  which  is  held  on  the  faceplate  of  the  lathe. 
The  hole  is  drilled  and  tapped  at  the  small  end 
of  the  adapter,  the  tools  being  held  in  the  tool 
carriage  of  the  lathe.  The  gage  for  testing  the 
machined  thread  is  shown  in  Fig.  114.  The  tool 
carriage  is  set  over  approximately  7)-^  deg.,  and 
with  an  ordinary  turning  tool  the  beveled  surface 
on  the  end  is  machined. 

The  gage  for  testing  the  overall  length  and  contour  at  the  end  of 
the  adapter  and  the  manner  in  which  it  is  used  are  illustrated  in  Fig.  115. 

A  detail  of  the  finish-machined  adapter  may  be  seen  in  Fig.  116. 
The  outside  of  the  adapter  is  machined  while  it  is  in  position  on  the  shell, 
as  has  been  described.  After  the  adapter  has  been  completely  machined, 
a  hole  is  drilled  for  the  fuse  setscrew.  The  jig  employed  for  this  purpose 
is  shown  in  Fig.  117. 


FIG.   117.    JIG  FOR  DRILL- 
ING ADAPTER  HOLE 


8.84D/om. -— >| 

H  (255'K     Tensi/s  Sfren^fh  abouf  90,000 Lb. 


FIG.    118.       FINISH-MACHINED  DIAPHRAGM 


The  diaphragm  is  made  from  a  steel  forging,  a  detail  of  a  finished 
piece  being  given  in  Fig.  118.  The  first  operation,  for  which  the  forging 
is  held  in  a  universal-type  chuck,  is  turning  part  of  the  outside  and 
forming  radius.  The  outside  is  first  turned  with  the  tool  carriage  thrown 
around  approximately  43^  deg.  The  front  edge  is  faced  with  the  tool 
carriage  set  squarely,  the  test  gage  being  shown  in  Fig.  119.  The  radius 
tool,  shown  in  the  same  cut,  is  fastened  in  the  tool  carriage  and  the  radius 

12 


178 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


machined  on  the  corner.     The  gage  for  testing  this  radius  is  also  shown 
in  Fig.  119  as  well  as  the  gage  for  testing  the  entire  contour. 

The  diaphragm  is  then  reversed  and  held  again  in  the  same  chuck 
for  the  second  operation — turning  the  rest  of  the  outside,  drilling  and 
counterboring  the  hole.  The  gage  and  the  method  in  which  it  is  used  to 
test  the  depth  of  the  counterbored  hole  are  shown  in  Fig.  119. 


Gage  for  Ou+side  of  DiapViragm 

FIG.    119.       GAGES   AND   RADIUS   TOOL 


Dep+h  Gage  for  Diaphragm 


The  adapter  bottom,  Fig.  120,  is  made  from  2-in.  bar  stock.  It  is 
held  in  a  universal-type  chuck  and  turned  to  size  and  the  thread  machined. 
An  0.43-in.  hole  is  drilled  through  the  center  and  then  counterbored  to 
0.68  in.  for  0.15  in.  deep.  A  part  is  cut  off  0.30  in.  wide,  thus  making 
an  adapter  bottom.  The  counterboring  and  cutting-off  operations  are 
carried  on  alternately  to  make  the  parts. 

The  gage  for  testing  the  thread 
may  be  seen  in  Fig.  121.  The  pin 
spanner  wrench  holes  are  drilled  in 
the  adapter  bottom,  using  the  jig 
shown  in  the  same  cut. 

The  plug  is  made  from  3%-in.  bar 
stock,  the  first  operation  being  turn- 
ing the  outside  to  33^-in.  diameter  and  forming  the  shoulder.  The 
shouldered  portion  is  threaded  to  suit  the  adapter,  testing  with  the  gage 
shown  in  Fig.  121.  The  plug  is  then  cut  off  by  a  parting  tool  in  the 
lathe  carriage,  the  width  of  stock  on  the  large  diameter  being  J'^  in. 
The  head  of  the  plug  is  formed  to  shape,  being  screwed  in  the  chuck, 
Fig.  121.  This  chuck  is  held  in  a  standard  three-jawed  chuck  secured  to 
the  lathe  spindle.  The  form  tool.  Fig.  121,  is  held  in  the  lathe  carriage 
and  fed  against  the  revolving  plug  until  the  desired  contour  is  obtained. 


Hole^x^"']^ 

FIG.    120. 


ADAPTER  BOTTOM 


Chap.  VI]  MANUFACTURING  12-IN.  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL 


179 


The  ring  gage,  Fig.  121,  tests  the  3.4-in.  diameter  of  the  head. 

The  plug  is  held  in  the  chuck,  Fig.  121,  and  the  slot  machined  on  a 
miller.  A  detail  of  the  finish-machined  adapter  plug  is  given  in  Fig.  122. 
In  Fig.  123  is  illustrated  the  key  used  to  insert  the  adapter  plug  in  the 
adapter. 


\nirmjm  6age=/.965 


Adap+er 
Plug,  Radius 


"huck  for  Holding  Pluq         -to  suit  Plug 

PIG.    121.      GAGES   AND   TOOLS 


The  powder  tube.  Fig.  124,  is  made  from  seamless  tubing  and  is  cut 
to  length  with  a  hacksaw.  The  elements  are  finally  carried  to  the  as- 
sembling department,  ready  to  be  placed  in  the  shell. 

After  the  shell  has  been  finally  inspected  and  passed,  the  powder  tube, 
adapter,  adapter  bottom  and  plug  are  inserted.  The  shell  is  then  trans- 
ferred to  the  loading  department.  The  plug,  adapter  bottom  and  adapter 
are  there  removed.     The  spider,  Fig.  125,  is  screwed  into  the  thread  at 


180 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


the  open  end  of  the  shell.     It  will  be  observed  that  the  spider  is  made 
with  an  ij-f  e-in.  hole,  which  the  powder  tube  fits,  thus  holding  it  central. 
The  shell  receives  J^-in.  diameter  balls,  composed  of  lead  and  anti- 
mony, for  about  4  in.  of  its  height.     Melted  rosin  is  then  poured  over 

'^ae"^  .0.4 


ADAPTER  PLUGS 


the  balls  until  they  are  entirely  covered.  On  top  of  this  is  placed  about 
6  oz.  of  smoke  compound.  Another  4-in.  layer  of  balls  and  rosin  is  then 
added  in  a  similar  manner.  This  operation  is  repeated  until  the  balls 
and  rosin  come  to  approximately  Yi  in.  from  the  top  of  the  open  end  of 


IL/! 


«=Y 


-1 


MACHINE  STEEL 


Oj 


O. 


FIG.    123.       PLUG   KEY 


the  shell.     The  balls  are  fed  into  the  shell  through  a  funnel  and  the  rosin 
is  poured  in  as  shown  in  operation  19. 

The  reason  for  placing  the  balls  and  rosin  in  the  shell  in  layer  form  is 
to  insure  their  cementing  into  a  solid  mass.     As  the  shell  is  so  large,  if 


Qold-cfrawn  Seam/ess-sieel  Tubings 

FIG.    125.       POWER  TUBE   FOR   12-IN  SHRAPNEL 

the  balls  were  all  inserted  and  then  the  rosin  poured  in,  the  probability 
is  that  the  rosin  would  not  reach  between  all  the  balls  before  solidifying. 
Under  such  conditions  the  mass  would  not  be  homogeneously  held  to- 


Chap.  VI]  MANUFACTURING  12-IN.  RUSSIAN  SHRAPNEL 


181 


gether;  and  when  the  shell  was  fired,  it  would  act  in  a  biased  manner  and 
its  "flight"  would  not  be  true. 

Further,  as  all  air  is  expelled  from  the  shell  by  the  rosin  filling  the 
gaps  between  the  balls,  the  explosive  charge  has  less  room  to  expand 
and  the  shell,  besides  being  fired  with  a  truer  aim,  also  bursts  with  greater 
force.     To  insure  the  best  results,  it  is  found  that  the  melted  rosin  should 


\<"-8.25"rosuiffheShe// -J 

FIG.    125.       SPIDER  FOR  HOLDING   THE   POWDER  TUBE 

be  at  a  temperature  of  from  365  to  400  deg.  F.  Then  the  crevices  between 
the  balls  are  properly  filled.  The  spider  is  next  removed,  and  the  threads 
on  the  inside  of  the  shell  and  adapter  are  covered  with  red-lead  paint. 
The  adapter  is  screwed  down,  using  the  clamp,  Fig.  77.  More  balls 
and  melted  rosin  are  added  until  the  shell  weighs  729  lb. 


Threacf  to  suit    \. 
Adapter" 


-54Diam.- 


FIG.    126.       SPANNER  WRENCH  FOR 
ADAPTER 


FIG.    127.       FUNNEL  FOR  LOADING 
THE   POWDER 


The  adapter  bottom  is  then  placed  in  the  adapter  by  the  aid  of  the 
wrench.  Fig.  126.  It  will  be  noticed  that  this  tool  is  provided  with  a 
"tit"  that  enters  the  powder  tube.  The  purpose  of  this  is  to  hold  the 
tube  central  while  the  bottom  is  being  screwed  down.  The  shell  is  left 
for  about  4  hr.,  so  that  the  rosin  will  properly  solidify  and  cool. 

The  funnel,  Fig.  127,  is  then  screwed  into  the  end  of  the  adapter. 


182 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


Powder  fed  into  the  funnel  passes  through  the  powder  tube  into  the 
powder  chamber.  The  funnel  is  afterward  removed,  and  powder  pellets 
are  put  into  the  tube.  One  purpose  of  the  pellets  is  to  prevent  the  powder 
grains  from  coming  back  against  the  fuse  threads  if  the  shell  should  be 
turned  over.  This  precaution  eliminates  accidents  that  would  result 
when  the  fuse  is  inserted,  if  powder  grains  were  resting  on  the  threads 


'TT'  11'  J  L — TT" 


./^//....^ 


■^^m<\ 


^4- 


....       ..j->-. 

-i8f -fA- 


-u- 


tt-f- 


!l|  I 


^ 


^s 


:/6t 


\/r 


hr 


rl" 


If- 


lil  l- 


-j*. 


-/6i >\ 


\\---}ir^  --^il--'\-^ 


^^ 


F    y 


FIG.    128.       DETAILS  FOR  PACKING  CASE  SPECIFIED  FOR  THE   12-IN.  SHRAPNEL 


and  the  fuse  was  screwed  down  against  them.  The  primary  purpose  of 
the  pellet  is,  however,  to  convey  the  spark  from  the  fuse  to  the  powder 
chamber. 

The  plug  is  next  screwed  into  the  shell,  which  is  then  ready  for  the 
final  weighing,  after  which  the  shells  are  covered  with  axle  grease,  to 
prevent  rust,  and  are  packed  in  individual  cases.  A  detail  of  the  packing 
case  is  given  in  Fig.  128. 


CHAPTER  VII 

MAKING  SHELLS  WITH  REGULAR  SHOP  EQUIPMENT^— MANU- 
FACTURING SHRAPNEL  PARTS  ON  AUTOMATIC  MACHINES^ 
—AUTOMATIC  PRODUCTION  OF  SHRAPNEL  PARTS— 
A  BRIDGE  SHOP  TRANSFORMED  INTO  AN  ARSENAL 

A  shop  possessing  the  standard  equipment  of  engine  lathes,  turret 
lathes  and  automatics,  with  the  addition  of  comparatively  few  pieces 
of  special  equipment,  the  necessary  fixtures  and  tools,  all  of  which  can  be 
built  with  the  shop  equipment,  is  in  a  position  to  undertake  the  rapid 
production  of  shrapnel  shells,  and  to  earn  a  good  profit  thereby.  A  high 
grade  of  mechanical  ability  with  good  common  sense  is  the  only  other 
requisite. 

British  shrapnel  shells,  those  of  the  18-pounders,  were  so  manu- 
factured in  such  a  shop — the  value  of  the  scrap  machined  from  the 
shells  more  than  compensating  for  the  cost  of  building  the  special  ma- 
chines, special  tools  and  fixtures.  The  sequence  of  the  principal  opera- 
tions performed,  which  will  be  described  in  some  detail,  was  as  follows: 

OPERATION     1.       PUNCHING     DRIVING     SLOT 

Machine  Used — Any  punch  press. 
Fixtures — ^Length  stop  and  holder. 
Gages — ^Length — First  inspection. 
Production — 1  man,  1,000  in  6  hr. 

OPERATION  2.      BORING  POWDER  CHAMBER 

Machine  Used — Any  heavy  drill  press. 
Fixtures — Special  drills,  gages,  etc. 
Lubricant — Soda  water. 
Production — 3  min.  each. 

OPERATION  3.       CENTERING  SHELLS 

Machine  Used — Old  Jones  &  Lamson  turret. 

Fixtures — Air  drill,  facing  cutter,  center,  center  holder,  facing  tool  block,  expand- 
ing mandrel. 

Gages — Flat  steel  templet. 

Production  Time — i}^  min.  \ 

^  Fred  H.  Colvin,  Associate  Editor,  American  Machinist. 

2  J.  P.  Brophy,  Vice-President  and  General  Manager,  Cleveland  Automatic  Machine 
Company. 

183 


184  SHRAPNEL  [Sec.  I 

OPERATION    4.       TURNING    OUTSIDE    OF    SHELL 

Machine  Used — Ordinary  lathe. 
Cutting  Speed — 42  ft.  per  min. 
Production — 7  min.  each. 

OPERATION    5.       ROUGHING    OUT  BAND    GROOVE    AND    CHAMFERING    CORNERS 

Machine  Used — J.  &  L.  turret  lathe. 
Production — 2]'i  min.  each, 

OPERATION    6.       CUTTING     OFF     AND     FORMING     OPEN    END 

Machine  Used — Cleveland  automatic. 
Fixtures — Forming  tools. 
Gages — Templets  of  form  shown. 
Production — 9.5  per  hr. 

OPERATION    7.      CLOSING    IN    NOSE 

Machine — Home-made  hydropneumatic  press  and  heating  furnaces. 

Fixtures — Dies  and  tongs. 

Gages — Templets. 

Production — 2  men,  1,400  in  12  hr. 

OPERATION    8.      BORING    AND    TAPPING   NOSE 

Machine  Used — Bardons  &  Oliver  turret. 
Fixtures — Chuck  and  steadyrest  shown. 
Gage — Plug  thread  gage  and  nose  form. 
Production — 3  min.  each. 

OPERATION    9.       SCRAPING    INSIDE     OF    NOSE 

Machine  Used — Any  suitable  turret  or  engine  lathe. 
Fixtures — Cross  slide  and  form  tool. 
Gage — Templet  or  contour  gage. 
Production — 2  min.  each. 

OPERATION    10.       GRIND    OUTSIDE    OF    SHELL 

Machine  Used — Heavy  grinder. 

Fixtures — Heavy  saddle. 

Tools — Plain  face  wheel  for  body,  formed  wheel  for  nose. 

Production — 8  men,  1,400  shells  in  22  hr. 

OPERATION    11.       CUTTING    THE    WAVES 

Machine  Used — Old  Fitchburg  lathe. 
Fixtures — Cam,  tool  block,  air  spring. 
Gage — Usual  templet. 
Production — 3  boys,  1,400  in  10  hr. 

OPERATION     12.       CUTTING     OFF     ENDS 

Machine  Used — No.  4  Cincinnati  miller. 

Fixture — Holder  for  shells. 

Gages — Templets . 

Production— 2  men,  1,400  in  22  hr. 


Chap.  VII]        MAKING  SHELLS  WITH  REGULAR  SHOP  EQUIPMENT     185 

OPERATION      13.      VENTING      WAVE      GROOVES 

Machine  Used — Specially  arranged  air  hammers. 

Fixtures — None. 

Gages — None. 

Production — Man  and  boj^,  1,400  in  12  hr. 

OPERATION  14.      BANDING 

Machine  Used — Special  30-ton  press. 

Fixtures — None. 

Gages — None. 

Production — Man  and  boy,  1,400  in  12  hr. 

OPERATION  15.   FORMING  THE  BANDS 

Machine  Used — Special  rotary  miller. 

Fixtures — Formed  cutters. 

Gages — Templets. 

Production— 3  men,  1,400  in  22  hr. 

The  first  operation  is  to  cut  in  the  open  end  of  the  shell  a  notch  that 
is  used  in  driving  the  shell  during  subsequent  operations.  This  work 
is  done  in  an  ordinary  punch  press,  something  as  shown  in  Fig.  129, 
the  shell  being  supported  in  a  holder  C  under  the  punch  B  and  located 


J. 


V//////////////////////////////////////////////////^^^^^ 


V/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////y//^^ 


FIG.    129.       PUNCHING   DRIVING   SLOT 

by  the  rod  D.  In  this  way  a  uniform  distance  is  secured  between  the 
bottom  of  the  forging  and  the  punch  slot.  The  stop  D  is  loosely  mounted 
in  the  supporting  center. 

Occasionally  a  shell  is  too  long  to  be  handled  on  the  driving  mandrel, 
and  in  such  cases  the  surplus  metal  is  punched  off  by  simply  rotating 
the  shell  under  the  punch  for  a  complete  turn.  Then  the  driving  slot 
is  punched  in  the  usual  manner  and  is  ready  for  machining.  A  pre- 
liminary inspection  takes  place  during  this  operation,  one  man  handling 
1,000  shells  in  6  hr.  without  difficulty. 

The  second  operation  bores  the  powder  chamber  under  the  spindle 


186 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


of  a  heavy  Baker  drill,  the  vertical  boring  bar  centering  itself  in  the 
forged  cavity.  Soda  water  is  fed  in  through  the  center  of  the  bar  itself, 
this  operation  requiring  3  min. 

An  old  Jones  &  Lamson  turret  has  been  utilized  for  operation  3,  and 
it  also  performs  the  three  suboperations  of  facing  the  center  projection, 
centering  and  counter-boring,  and  facing  the  back  end  of  the  shell.  The 
turret  is  not  revolved  during  these  operations,  but  is  locked  in  a  fixed 
position  on  the  bed. 


FIG.    130.       CENTERING   SHELLS 


Fig.  130  shows  the  driving  mandrel  A  with  the  centering  jaws  H 
and  the  driving  key  7.  Bolted  to  the  turret  is  the  substantial  tool  block 
B  with  the  locking  device  C,  which  is  in  reality  a  tool  holder.  The  drill 
for  centering  and  countersinking  is  shown  in  position.  It  is  an  air  drill 
fitted  with  a  special  spindle  sleeve  that  fits  into  the  block  B  and  has  a 
flange  that  allows  the  clamp  C  to  hold  it  against  the  thrust  of  drilling. 

As  soon  as  the  center  has  been  drilled,  the  clamp  is  removed  by  simply 
turning  the  thumb-latch  shown,  and  the  facing  tool  E  is  substituted. 
This  is  in  turn  removed  and  the  tail  center  F  slipped  into  place  and  held 
by  the  clamp  C.     This  center  has  a  screw  that  allows  the  tail  center  to 


Chap.  VIl]        MAKING  SHELLS  WITH  REGULAR  SHOP  EQUIPMENT     187 


be  forced  against  the  work  as 
during  the  suboperation  of 
facing  off  the  back  end.  The 
side  tool  that  does  this  facing, 
shown  in  the  tool  block  G,  has 
a  sliding  movement  across  the 
turret,  through  a  rack  and 
pinion,  the  latter  being  oper- 
ated by  the  lever  J.  This 
arrangement  gives  a  good 
leverage  and  makes  it  easy 
for  the  operator  to  face  the 
ends.  This  operation  takes 
4J^  min. 

The  fourth  operation  is 
the  turning  of  the  outside  of 
the  shell  nearly  its  whole 
length,  the  turning  tool  run- 
ning up  practically  to  the 
notch  cut  for  driving.  This 
cut  is  handled  by  two  tools 
in  an  ordinary  lathe,  so  that 
each  travels  only  half  the 
length  of  the  shell.  A  cutting 
speed  of  42  ft.  per  min.  is 
maintained,  this  operation 
requiring  7  min. 

The  shells  are  held  on  a 
special  equalizing  expanding 
mandrel  during  the  turning 
operation,  illustrated  in  Fig. 
131.  This  mandrel  holds  the 
shells  at  two  points  of  their 
length  and  equalizes  the 
pressure  so  as  to  insure  equal 
bearing  and  equal  driving 
power.  It  also  centers  the 
shells  along  their  entire 
length.  It  is  shown  attached 
to  almost  any  type  of  screw 
machine  or  other  lathe,  the 
headstock  being  omitted  and 
only  the  faceplate  and  end  of 
necessary. 


hard  as  may  seem  desirable  and  is  used 


the  headstock  shown,  the  rest  being  un- 


188 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


The  mandrel  consists  primarily  of  the  inner  rod  A  carrying  the  Wedge 
B,  which  is  turned  taper  as  shown,  and  the  tube  C  with  its  wedge  D. 
Both  C  and  D  operate  separate  sets  of  jaws,  three  in  number  in  each  case; 
and  as  will  be  noticed,  the  inclines  are  in  opposite  directions. 

The  spools  E  and  F  run  free,  the  latter  being  feather-keyed  to  the 
lathe  spindle  at  K  and  revolving  with  it,  but  free  to  move  endwise  both 
on  the  key  and  with  the  spool  G.  The  chucking  lever  controls  the  move- 
ment by  means  of  the  sliding  spool  G.  When  this  is  moved,  it  pulls 
back  the  rod  A  and  pushes  forward  the  tube  C,  or  vice  versa,  by  means 
of  the  toggle  levers  shown.  This  movement  forces  the  jaws  up  the  incline 
and  tightens  the  shell  on  the  mandrel.     Should  one  set  of  jaws  take  hold 


!<•-// 


'^^^/////////////////////////^^^^ 


V-fi 


r^'^' 


FIG.    132.       DETAIL   OF   TRIMMED    SHELL 


before  the  other,  they  act  as  the  stationary  member  and  the  other  cone 
forces  out  the  second  set  of  jaws  until  all  bear  equally.  This  is  a  par- 
ticularly interesting  device  that  can  be  adapted  for  many  other  uses. 

Next  comes  the  roughing  out  of  the  band  groove,  operation  5,  done 
on  a  Jones  &  Lamson  turret,  which  also  chamfers  the  corners,  the  pro- 
duction time  being  2J^  min. 

The  ends  of  the  shell  are  cut  off  and  formed  for  closing  in,  in  the  sixth 
operation.  This  is  done  on  Cleveland  automatics,  which  happen  to  be 
available.  Considerable  experimenting  developed  the  proper  shape  of 
nose  to  be  closed  into  the  desired  shape  for  boring  and  tapping.  The 
dimensions  are  shown  in  Fig.  132,  where  it  will  be  observed  that  the 
open  end  of  the  shell  is  beveled  back  10  deg.  After  being  closed,  this 
bevel  is  turned  in  and  simply  requires  a  little  trimming  to  fit  the  fuse  or 
adapter. 

The  closing  in  of  the  nose  is  done  on  the  hydropneumatic  press. 
Fig.  133.  This  press  has  a  12-in.  air  cylinder  with  a  possible  stroke  of 
12  in.     The  hydraulic  ram  is  3  in.  with  a  12-in.  stroke.     A  7-in.  stroke 


Chap.  VIl]        MAKING  SHELLS  WITH  REGULAR  SHOP  EQUIPMENT     189 

is  sufficient  to  close  the  shell  nose.  The  form  die  comes  to  a  positive 
stop  on  the  base  which  clamps  the  shell.  This  secures  a  uniform  nosing 
and  eliminates  the  necessity  of  turning  afterward.  Two  men  handle 
1,400  shells,  the  daily  output,  in  12  hr.  The  diaphragms  are  slipped 
inside  before  closing  the  nose. 


FIG.    133.       HOMEMADE   HYDROPNEUMATIC  PRESS   AND   HEATING   FURNACE 

The  nose  is  bored  and  tapped  in  a  Bardons  &  Oliver  turret,  equipped 
with  special  holding  chucks  and  steadyrests.  The  boring  and  facing 
tool  is  shown  at  A,  Fig.  134,  the  nose  of  the  shell  resting  in  a  revolving 
support.  This  sleeve  B  forms  the  inner  race  of  the  double  ball  bearing 
and  takes  care  of  both  the  radial  and  the  end  thrust,  while  the  felt  washer 
keeps  out  dirt  and  chips.  It  will  also  be  noticed  that  the  outer  case  C 
projects  so  as  to  act  as  a  guide  for  the  boring  and  facing  tool. 

The  tool  A  is  provided  with  a  shoulder  that  makes  contact  with  the 
collar  D  and  compresses  the  spring  as  the  tools  feed  into  the  shell.  The 
opening  E  provides  escape  for  chips.  This  guiding  the  tool  with  relation 
to  the  shell  insures  the  hole  being  concentric  with  the  outside,  which  is 
quite  an  important  point  in  inspection. 


190 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


The  tapping  is  done  in  the  same  fixture  and  at  the  same  setting. 
This  complete  operation  takes  3  min. 

After  the  boring  and  tapping  of  the  nose  the  inside  of  the  shell  just 
beyond  the  thread  is  scraped  out  with  a  round-formed  cutter,  Fig.  135. 


FIG.    134.       DETAILS   OF  FIXTURE   FOR   TAPPING   NOSE 

This  is  a  circular  forming  cutter  of  the  regular  type,  held  from  turning 
by  the  serration  shown  at  the  end,  where  it  bears  against  the  tool  rest. 
The  cutter  is  mounted  on  a  Jones  &  Lamson  cross-slide,  the  shell  itself 
being  held  in  the  draw-in  chuck  and  the  special  bearing.  Fig.  136.     The 

,'FormJng  Tool 


FIG.  135.   FORM  TOOL  USED  IN  OPERATION  9 


contracting  sleeve  A  clamps  the  jaws  on  the  back  end  of  the  shell,  the 
front  end  being  supported  by  the  steel  quill  5,  which  is  mounted  in  the 
cast-iron  block  C.     The  spring  plunger  Z>  regulates  the  pressure  on  the 


Chap.  VII]        MAKING  SHELLS  WITH  REGULAR  SHOP  EQUIPMENT     191 

thrust  bearing  E  and  also  prevents  the  front  race  from  turning.     The 
threaded  collar  F  holds  the  other  end  of  the  quill  in  position. 

The  next,  or  tenth,  operation  is  to  grind  the  shell  all  over,  a  very  heavy 
wheel  saddle  weighing  400  lb.   being  employed  for  this  purpose.     A 


FIG.    136.       DRAW-IN   CHUCK   AND   SPECIAL  BEARING 

formed  wheel  is  used  for  shaping  the  nose  of  the  shell,  the  straight  part 
being  ground  by  a  plain-faced  wheel  6  in.  wide.  The  grinding  allowance 
is  0.015  in.,  and  eight  men — four  men  to  each  shift — grind  1,400  shells  in 
22  hr. 


'  4^^^fc                 ^                "^ 

1=^A 

FIG.    137.       LATHE   FITTED   FOR   OPERATION   10 


Waving  in  the  groove  already  roughed  out  in  operation  5  is  done  in  an 
old  lathe,  as  indicated  in  Fig.  137.  The  nose  of  the  shell  is  supported  in 
a  sort  of  bell  chuck  A  and  held  in  position  by  the  strap  shown  in  front  of 
it.     The  cam  is  on  the  faceplate  B,  while  C  is  a  stop  to  locate  the  position 


192 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


of  the  waved  tool  D,  which  is  held  in  the  compound  rest  set  parallel  with 
the  lathe  ways. 

When  the  spring  action  of  the  pneumatic  cylinder  E  is  necessary,  the 
cock  F,  swung  on  the  quadrant  between  the  two  pins  shown,  admits  air 


FIG.    138.       MILLING   ENDS   OF  SHELLS 


FIG.    139.      VENTING   WAVE   GROOVES 


to  the  cylinder  and  forces  the  roller  on  the  lathe  carriage  against  the  cam 
on  the  faceplate.  When  the  spring  is  not  needed  and  it  is  desired  to 
move  the  tailstock  or  the  carriage,  the  cock  F  is  swung  into  the  other 


Chap.  VII]        MAKING  SHELLS  WITH  REGULAR  SHOP  EQUIPMENT     193 

position,  which  shuts  off  the  air  and  opens  an  escape  vent  from  the 
cyhnder.  With  this  arrangement,  three  boys  can  handle  1,400  shells  in 
10  hr.,  or  about  45  shells  per  hour  for  each  lathe. 

The  projection  on  the  closed  end  of  the  shell  is  next  milled  off,  as 
shown  in  Fig.  138.  The  fixture  is  a  simple  one  that  goes  on  a  No.  4 
Cincinnati  knee-type  miller  and  holds  ten  shells  at  one  setting.  It 
will  be  noticed  that  these  shells  are  held  by  five  separate  straps,  these 
being  used  so  that  as  soon  as  a  section  has  passed  the  milling  cutter  the 
milled  shells  can  be  removed  and  others  put  in  their  places.  In  this 
way  almost  continuous  milling  can  be  done,  two  men  handling  the  1,400 
shells  in  22  hr. 


PIG.    140.       CUTTING   OFF  BANDS 

The  device  for  cutting  the  air  grooves  across  the  waves  is  illustrated 
in  Fig.  139.  The  shell  A  is  acted  on  by  the  three  air  hammers  BBB, 
the  piping  connections  being  shown.  Needless  to  say,  these  vent  or 
nick  the  waves  very  rapidly,  as  fast  as  a  man  can  handle  the  shells.  The 
handle  C  controls  the  air  to  the  hammers. 

At  D  are  a  single  air  hammer  and  a  simple  holder  for  the  shells. 
They  are  solely  for  use  in  case  the  triple  arrangement  gets  out  of  order 
from  any  cause.  Should  this  occur,  all  that  is  necessary  is  to  connect 
the  air  hose  at  E  and  go  ahead. 

The  banding  is  handled  in  a  somewhat  different  manner  than  usual, 
both  the  machine  for  cutting  off  the  bands  and  the  one  for  pressing  them 

13 


194 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


E 


y///////////////////////////////////////^^^^ 


FIG.  141.     Pneumatic  copper-banding  machine 


Chap.  VII]        MAKING  SHELLS  WITH  REGULAR  SHOP  EQUIPMENT     195 

into  place  being  built  especially  for  this  job.  The  cut  ting-off  machine 
is  shown  in  Fig.  140,  with  a  tube  in  place  at  A  and  with  the  four  milling 
saws  B  properly  spaced  for  the  width  of  band  desired.  The  backrest  C 
is  shown  thrown  down  and  holding  the  four  rings,  which  have  just  been 
cut  off.  It  effectually  supports  the  rings  being  cut  against  the  thrust 
of  the  milling  saws;  and  when  the  cut  is  completed,  Hfting  the  latch  E 
releases  the  rest  and  allows  the  four  rings  to  be  easily  removed.  This 
backrest  is  located  in  position  by  the  surface  D,  The  cutters  are  fed 
into  the  work  by  the  handwheel  F.  These  four  saws  are  but  3^2  in. 
thick,  so  that  the  waste  of  copper  is  very  slight.  The  machine  cuts  180 
bands  per  hour  and  while  this  may  not  be  as  fast  as  in  some  other  cases, 


FIG.    142.       FORMING   THE  BANDS 

the  saving  in  copper  probably  more  than  compensates  for  any  loss  of 
time.     Furthermore  they  are  very  true  to  length. 

The  banding  machine.  Fig.  141,  is  operated  by  air  at  the  regular  shop 
pressure  of  100  lb.  to  the  square  inch.  This  acts  on  the  14-in.  piston  A 
in  the  cylinder  B,  giving  a  total  pressure  of  30  tons  to  the  square  inch. 
By  means  of  the  toggle  F,  pressure  is  transmitted  through  the  rod  C  to 
the  head  D,  which  slides  on  the  four  round  guides  H  and  also  the  central 
plunger  P.  The  toggles  E,  working  in  the  thrust  blocks  F,  force  the  six 
steel  jaws  G  against  the  copper  band,  compressing  it  into  the  band  groove 
from  all  sides.  This  press  is  very  quick  acting,  and  five  or  six  strokes 
are  usually  employed,  turning  the  shell  slightly  each  time,  as  is  usual. 
One  man  and  a  boy  band  1,400  shells  in  12  hr.  The  main  dimensions  of 
the  press  are  given  in  Fig.  141. 

Instead  of  turning  the  bands  as  usual,  this  shop  found  it  advisable 
to  build  two  special  millers,  Fig.  142.     These  are  simple  affairs,  as  can 


196 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


be  seen,  consisting  of  a  work-holding  spindle  carrying  a  wormwheel  A 
and  being  driven  by  the  worm  B.  The  shell,  with  the  band  in  place,  is 
slipped  into  the  hollow  spindle  and  held  by  a  draw-in  chuck  operated  by 
the  wheel  at  the  end.  The  shell  is  located  by  the  swinging  stop  C,  which 
drops  out  of  the  way  as  soon  as  the  shell  is  in  position.  The  milling 
cutter  D,  which  is  formed  to  give  the  shape  of  the  copper  band,  is  driven 
by  an  independent  belt  and  can  be  moved  either  longitudinally  for  loca- 
tion or  fed  into  the  work  by  the  crossfeed  wheel  E.  This  method  of 
finishing  the  bands,  the  last  operation,  has  been  found  very  satisfactory, 
three  men  and  two  machines  finishing  1,400  bands  in  22  hr. 

MANUFACTURING  SHRAPNEL  PARTS  ON  AUTOMATIC  MACHINES 


In  time  of  war,  speed  of  production  is  of  the  utmost  importance  and 
this  depends,  naturally,  largely  upon  the  rapidity  in  producing  the  parts 
which  ordinarily  take  the  longest  time  to  finish,  i.e.,  the  shrapnel  cases, 
the  fuse  bodies  and  the  fuse  caps.  These  parts  can  all  be  efficiently 
machined  on  properly  equipped  automatic  turret  lathes  at  a  surprisingly 
high  rate  of  production.  The  following  descriptions  and  illustrations 
of  the  operations  entailed  give  the  actual  time  required  for  each  of  the 
specified  operations. 


FIG.  143.   A  SHRAPNEL  CASE 
PRODUCED  FROM  THE  BAR 


FIG.  144.   A  SHRAPNEL  CASE 
PRODUCED  FROM  A  FORGING 


The  Shrapnel  Case. — The  case  is  the  most  important  part  of  all,  and 
requires  the  most  time  to  produce.  It  is  made  either  from  steel  forgings 
or  from  the  bar;  in  the  first  instance  two  chuckings  are  required,  and  in 
the  latter  only  one. 

Fig.  143  shows  the  appearance  of  shrapnel  cases  produced  from  bar 
stock,  and  Fig.  144  that  of  cases  made  from  forgings.  Both  are  shown 
as  they  come  from  the  machine. 

The  process  of  machining  3-in.  cases  from  the  bar  is  clearly  shown 
in  Fig.  145.  The  tool  set-up  is  illustrated  in  Figs.  146  and  147.  The 
tools  in  these  illustrations  are  lettered  similarly  to  those  in  the  machining 
diagram.  Fig.  145,  as  a  convenience  in  following  the  operations. 

The  tooling  arrangement  and  operations  for  producing  3-in.  common 
shrapnel  cases  from  forgings  are  shown  in  Fig.  148.  The  machine  upon 
which  this  work  is  done  is  a  4}^  model  A  Cleveland  automatic  equipped 
with  a  rotary  tilting  magazine  and  an  air-expanding  arbor  to  grip  the 


Chap.  VII]        MAKING  SHELLS  WITH  REGULAR  SHOP  EQUIPMENT  197 

(Bar  Feed) 

A|nii::::a[ 


l*J    TURRET    HOLE 


B 

.,  Cross  Slide  Too/s^  O 


'^'"'"-}^""""{"''>"''  '^ 


-SU 


B^U^C^ 


::i 


2NO  TURRET   HOLE 
(Roc/^/?  Hole,  turn  outside  diameter  and  groove) 


V//////^JJJLilLV/A  V//JA 


'//^w/hr/,  //ff/ff/z/M 


hDT 


TTi 


•aio  TURRET    HOLE 
(Finish  powder  pocket  and  counteri>ore  for  tap) 


7^/yW////lZ^M.'^///.VA 


4Z2Z 


jKl 


■\E] 


(Finish  diaphragm  seat  and  chamfer  end) 


4Ti«  TURRET  HOLE 


rn 

0 

15 

S'f"  TURRET  HOLE 
(lap). 


M 

N 

— 

- 

'zzz^szzszizaazz. 


6TH    TURRET     HOLE 
(Ream) 


(Knurl  and  cut  off) 


Pl— '  (TIME'25%»MIFf^ 

FIG.    145..       MACHINING   A   3-IN.   SHRAPNEL  CASE   FROM  BAR   STOCK 


SHRAPNEL 


FIG.    146.       FIRST   OPERATION  IN  MAKING  3-IN.  SHRAPNEL  CASES  FROM  BAR   STOCK 


FIG.    147.      LAST    OPERATION    IN    MAKING    3-IN.     SHRAPNEL    CASES    FROM    BAR    STOCK 


Chap.  VII]        MAKING  SHELLS  WITH  REGULAR  SHOP  EQUIPMENT     199 


f orgings  on  the  inside  for  the  first  chucking.  This  arbor  is  arranged  with 
two  sets  of  jaws,  of  three  jaws  each,  gripping  on  either  end  of  the  case, 
and  are  controlled  by  a  double-acting  taper  shaft  working  directly  on  the 
jaws.  The  end  of  the  arbor  also  serves  as  a  gage  stop,  as  it  seats  on  the 
bottom  of  the  powder  pocket. 

After  the  first  chucking,  the  case  is  heated  and  upset  at  the  mouth  end 
before  completing  the  operations  in  the  second  chucking. 


I SJ  TURRET  HOLE.  CONVEYOR. (NOT  SHOWN) 


|SJ  TURRET  HOLE.  CONVEYOR. 

(not  shown)' 


I!../ J/.^y..  A  ..TTTT^VZ^^/. 


Z'lP  TURRET  HOLE 

(Roughiurn  Outside  D/amefer) 


2tt>  TURRET  HOLE 


(Rough  diaphragm  seaf,  hole 
fi:^i^fhread,  face  to  fengfh) 


'^^^^IZ22ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ. 


3 1*  TURRET  HOLE 

AND  CROSS  SLIDES 

(face  so/ id  end,  form  band 

and  crimping  grooves  J 


Sfeadgresf 


4D 


Slt'TURRET   HOLE 

(Finish  diaphraam  seat,  hole  for 
fhread^cnamier  corners.  Cross 
Slide  fool  finishes  fucingend) 


iU^^^^//A^/.//^^^^^^ 


TURRET  HOLE 


[Tap  for    , 
Thread) 


41."  TURRET  HOLE 


5T><  TURRET  HOLE 


5"^"  TURRET  HOLE 


{Conveyor  fo  remove  case  fmm arl^r,nohhomj    (Remove  from  chuck; no f  shown) 

FIRST  CHUCKING  2'^'*  CHUCKING   (TIME  3'^'miN.) 

(TIME  93/4 MIN.) 


FIG.  148.   MACHINING  A  3-IN.  FORGED  SHRAPNEL  CASE 

It  will  be  noted,  from  reference  to  the  production  time  for  the  forged 
case  in  Fig.  148  as  compared  with  the  case  produced  from  the  bar  shown 
in  Fig.  145,  that  there  is  considerable  machining  time  saved  with  the 
forged  cases.  This,  however,  does  not  account  for  the  forging  time  which 
must  be  added  to  make  a  true  comparison  between  the  two  methods. 

Shrapnel  Heads. — Shrapnel  heads  vary  consiberadly  in  proportions 
according  to  the  nominal  size.     This  is  indicated  in  Fig.  149,  which  shows 


200 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


S^io-in.  and  6-in.  heads.     The  tool  set-up  used  in  connection  with  these 
pieces  is  shown  in  Fig.  150. 

Shrapnel  heads  are  produced  from  20-carbon  cold>rolled-steel  bar- 
stock.     All  operations  are  completed  in  one  chucking,  and  are  as  shown 


FIG.    149.      3.8-IN.    AND    6-IN.    SHRAPNEL  HEADS 

in  Fig.  151.  An  interesting  feature  in  connection  with  the  machining 
of  this  piece  is  the  employment  of  a  cross-slide  counterboring  attachment 
which  gets  in  its  work  on  the  fifth  turret  position.  This  consists  of  a 
lateral  slide  mounted  in  front  of  the  cross-slide  and  carrying  a  head  with 


FIG.    150.       THE  SET-UP  FOR  PRODUCING  SHRAPNEL  HEADS  ON  A  CLEVELAND  AUTOMATIC 


inserted  formed  cutters.  The  attachment  is  operated  by  a  push-and- 
puU  rod  in  the  fifth  turret  hole.  Provision  is  made  for  stopping  and  lock- 
ing the  cross-slide  in  the  proper  location  for  this  attachment  to  operate 
this  being  cared  for  by  an  adjustable  cam  and  roll  stop,  the  latter. 


Chap.  VII]        MAKING  SHELLS  WITH  REGULAR  SHOP  EQUIPMENT    201 


202 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


mounted  on  a  block  in  conjunction  with  the  flat  forming-tool  post,  the 
stopping  cam  being  clamped  on  the  camshaft. 

Fuse  Bodies  and  Fuse  Caps. — The  fuse  bodies  are  made  of  bronze 
stampings  or  brass  castings  and  the  fuse  caps  of  bar-brass  stocks.  Both 
of  these  parts  are  machined  on  a  full  automatic  turret  lathe,  equipped 
with  a  tilting  magazine  and  an  air  chuck,  such  as  illustrated  in  Fig. 
152.  The  air  chuck  A  is  screwed  on  the  spindle  in  place  of  the  regular 
chuck  hood.  It  is  fitted  with  three  removable  jaws,  B,  which  receive 
pads  that  are  shaped  to  suit  the  work.     A  connecting  rod  fitted  to  the 


. 

0 

^J^  i 

^^11 

iw'"^:::.»  Pi  a 

p%  4 

^LAMm. 

»*    ^^^^a 

■^MKK'^MS^^^^^^^^^^^^f^mj'^^^g             J 

^^XW-rftrm 

f 

1 

FIG.    152. 


MACHINE    EQUIPPED    WITH    MAGAZINE    AND     PNEUMATIC    CHUCK    FOR    PRO- 
DUCING  FUSE  BODIES   AND   FUSE   CAPS 


piston  in  the  air  cylinder  is  attached  to  the  chuck  jaws  B  and  the  admis- 
sion of  air  to  either  side  of  the  piston,  controlled  by  the  camming  of  the 
machine,  opens  and  closes  the  chuck. 

The  magazine  L  is  fitted  with  a  link  M  which  has  bushings  conforming 
to  the  shape  of  the  work  handled.  When  the  magazine  tilts  after  the 
conveyor  N  has  removed  the  piece  operated  on,  the  lever  P  comes  in 
contact  with  a  pin  which  indexes  the  link  belt  and  advances  the  next 
piece  of  work. 

The  fuse  body  requires  two  chuckings,  both  of  which  are  handled  by 
the  automatic  magazine.  The  operations  on  this  piece  are  shown  in 
sequence  in  Fig.  153.  The  fuse  cap  in  its  first  chucking  is  handled  in  bar 
form,  and  in  its  second  chucking  is  held  in  the  pneumatic  chuck  and  fed 


Chap.  Vll]        MAKING  SHELLS  WITH  REGULAR  SHOP  EQUIPMENT    203 

by  the  automatic  magazine.     The  method  of  machining  the  fuse  caps, 
in  order  of  operations,  is  shown  in  Fig.  154. 


5LANK 


1^^  TURRET  HOLE. CONVEYOR. 
(NOT  SHOWN) 


^"'TURRET  HOLE  AND 


%ounferbore 
and  end  counfer- 
bort) 


(Recess) 


(Drill  and 
Turn) 


(Thread) 


(Tap) 


5'" TURRET  HOLE  6'"TURRET  HOLE 

FIRST  CHUCKING. (OUTPUT  17  PER  HOUR) 


l*T  TURRET   HOLE.  CONVEYOR. (NOT SHOWN) 


'\(Circuhr 
Form'mg) 


Jjrjderctff-artd 
endC'bore) 


(Thread) 


4"  TURRET 
HOLE 


SECOND   CHUCKING, (OUTPUT  30  PER  HOUR) 


FIG.    153.       MACHINING   A  FUSE  BODY    (bRONZE   STAMPING   OR  BRASS   CASTING) 


AUTOMATIC  PRODUCTION  OF  SHRAPNEL  SHELL  PARTS 

Special  automatic  turret  lathes  equipped  for  handling  the  first  and 
second  settings  in  the  manufacture  of  shrapnel  shell  heads  and  fuse  parts 
are  employed  by  the  New  Britain  Machine  Co.,  New  Britain,  Conn. 
The  multiple  spindle  machines,  when  two  settings  are  employed,  pro- 
duce work  within  a  Hmit  of  0.004  in.  of  being  perfectly  concentric  and 
in  thread  cutting  the  agreement  is  within  one-eighth  turn.  Among  the 
operations  performed  on  this  highly  developed  tool  may  be  mentioned 
the  following: 

Machining  Fuse  Heads. — The  machine  steel  fuse  heads,  shown  in 
Fig.  155,  are  finished  in  one  setting  on  special  seven  spindle  chucking 
machines,  known  as  size  No.  73,  illustrated  in  Fig.  156.     The  fuse  head 


204 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


blanks  weigh  15  oz.  each  and  are  operated  upon  by  the  tools  in  the 
sequence  indicated  in  Fig.  157.  The  work  is  threaded  externally  and 
internally  and  the  ends  are  machined. 

The  blanks  are  held  on  threaded  draw-back  collets.  The  end  A, 
Fig.  155(6),  is  machined  in  the  following  order:  The  hub  is  drilled, 
counterbored,  tapped,  turned  on  two  diameters,  necked  and  threaded; 


FIRST  TURRET   HOLE 

{Drill,Cbore 
and 
^  under- 
cut face) 


ifbage  $fop) 


{CQunhrbore 
^^^fade) 


2""  TURRET  HOLE  AND 
CIRCULAR  FORMER 


3     TURRET   HOLE 


(Recess) 


4^"  TURRET  HOLE 


B'"  TURRET  HOLE 
(Tap  and  cutoff) 

FIRST  CHUCKIN6.(  OUTPUT.  50  PER  HOUR) 
l^T  TURRET  HOLE.  CONYEYDR.( NOT  SHOWN) 


(Drill) 


(Counferbore) 


e^^TURRET  HOLE  AND  3""  TURRET 

CIRCULAR  FORMER  HOLE 

SECOND   CHUCKING.(0UTPUTI90  PER  HOUR) 


PIG.    154.      MACHINING  A  FUSE   CAP   (bAR  BRASS) 


and  the  flange  is  faced,  grooved  and  turned.  The  finished  pieces  weigh 
13  oz.  The  tools  operate  at  a  cutting  speed  of  approximately  40  ft. 
per  min.     The  production  is  52  pieces  per  hour. 

Machining  Shrapnel  Heads. — The  tools — first  setting — used  for 
machining  the  4.7-in.  shrapnel  head,  Fig.  158,  are  shown  in  Fig.  159. 
The  parts  are  made  on  a  size  No.  24  four-spindle  chucking  machine. 
These  parts  are  cold-drawn  steel  stampings;  the  blanks  weigh  42  oz. 
and  are  machined  in  two  settings.     The  weight  of  the  finished  piece  is 


Chap.  VIl]        MAKING  SHELLS  WITH  REGULAR  SHOP  EQUIPMENT    205 

31  oz.  The  first  setting  is  on  the  end  A,  which  is  faced,  chamfered, 
grooved,  bored  and  tapped.  For  these  operations  the  pieces  are  held 
in  two-jaw  chucks  arranged  with  stop  plugs.  Fig.  160,  which  fit  inside  the 
forms  of  the  pieces,  thus  locating  them  accurately.     This  method  of 


20  as.sVD 


wimr  15 oz. 


WE/6HT  13  01. 


(a) 


(6) 


FIG.    155.       FUSE   HEAD 


locating  is  necessary,  as  the  distance  from  the  inside  concave  surface  to 
the  outside  face  must  be  accurate.  The  production  is  62  pieces  per 
hour. 

For   the  second  setting  the  pieces  are  held  on  threaded  drawback 
arbors  by  the  thread  formed  at  the  end  A.     The  tools  used  on  the  large 


FIG.    156.       SEVEN-SPINDLE   AUTOMATIC 


end  are  shown  in  Fig.  161.  The  operations  are  facing,  chamfering,  turn- 
ing, necking,  counterboring  and  threading.  It  will  be  noticed  that  the 
tools  used  for  the  first  and  second  spindles  are  piloted  in  draw-back  arbors 
to  insure  the  machined  surfaces  being  concentric.     The  production  for 


206 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


Chap.  VIl]        MAKING  SHELLS  WITH  REGULAR  SHOP  EQUIPMENT    207 

this  setting  is  94  pieces  per  hour.     The  cutting  speed  is  approximately 
120  ft.  per  min. 

Machining  Shell  Heads. — When  machining  the  heads  used  on  18-Ib. 
high-explosive  shells,  the  tools  shown  in  Figs.  162  and  163  are  used. 
The  blanks,  which  are  made  as  shown  in  Fig.  164(a),  weigh  2  lb.  2  oz. 


/^ 


JSU.S.STD. 

dj^as.sT'p. 

C0LD-DI?/1WN 

> 

/ 
//5 


\^ 


R0U6H  dL/JNK  't20Z. 
FINISHED  PIECE  31  OZ. 

FIG.    158.      4.7-IN.    SHRAPNEL  HEAD 


each.  They  are  machined  to  the  form  shown  in  Fig.  164(6),  the  weight 
of  the  finished  piece  being  1  lb.  12  oz.  These  parts  are  made  from  brass 
forgings  and  are  machined  in  a  size  No.  24  four-spindle  chucking  machine. 
The  first  setting  is  for  machining  the  ends  A.  The  pieces  are  gripped  in 
two-jaw  chucks  and  the  ends  faced,  formed  three  diameters,  bored, 
recessed,  and  threaded  two  diameters.  The  production  is  120  pieces  per 
hour.     The    parts    are    then    placed    on    threaded    draw-back    arbors 


FIG.    159.      FIRST  SETTING   FOR  SHRAPNEL  HEAD 


which  fit  into  the  internal  threads  formed  for  the  second  setting.  The 
machining  operations  consist  of  facing,  turning,  necking  and  threading. 
The  production  for  this  setting  is  also  120  pieces  per  hour.  When 
machining  this  part  the  approximate  speed  of  the  tools  is  80  ft.  per 
minute. 


208 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


Chap.  VII]        MAKING  SHELLS  WITH  REGULAR  SHOP  EQUIPMENT    209 


210 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


1        I  J  .1— L       l-J I. 

i<:fS)r'iiiig 


MM 


r^-hr^- 


Chap.  Vll]        MAKING  SHELLS  WITH  REGULAR  SHOP  EQUIPMENT    211 


1 

( — 

i-f 

! — 


212 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


Making  Shrapnel  Sockets. — When  machining  the  shrapnel  sockets, 
Fig.  165,  the  tools  shown  on  Figs.  166  and  167  are  used.  These  parts, 
which  are  made  from  solid  brass  forgings,  are  manufactured  on  a  size 
No.  24  four-spindle  machine.  The  rough  blank  weighs  13  oz.  The 
first  setting  is  on  the  end  A-,  Fig.  165.  The  blank  is  solid,  the  parts  being 
gripped  in  two-jaw  chucks.     The  machining  consists  of  facing,  boring. 


WI6HT2L5.20Z. 
(a) 


WE/6HT  ll^JBOZ 


FIG.    164.      SHELL   HEAD 


recessing  and  tapping.     The  pieces  are  held  on  arbors  located  by  the 
thread  formed  in  the  end.     The  production  is  160  per  hour. 

In  the  second  setting  three  diameters  are  turned,  the  end  formed  and 
necked  and  the  outside  threaded.  The  production  for  this  setting  is 
also  160  per  hour. 


M  TH'DS. 


5RfJ3S  F0R6IN6^ 

F0U6H3LflNKI30Z 
FINISHED  PIECE  IIOZ 

FIG.    165.      SHRAPNEL  SOCKET 

The  tools  operate  at  a  speed  of  116  r.p.m.  for  both  settings. 

Producing  Time -fuse  Noses. — The  time-fuse  nose  pieces  are  made 
of  brass  forgings  of  the  form  shown  in  Fig.  168(a).  These  are  then  ma- 
chined in  one  setting  to  the  contour  shown  in  Fig.  168(6)  on  a  size  No. 
33  five-spindle  machine,  using  the  tools  shown  in  Fig.  169.  The  rough 
blanks  weigh  4  oz.  each  and  the  finished  parts,  3J^  oz.     For  these  opera- 


Chap.  VII]        MAKING  SHELLS  WITH  REGULAR  SHOP  EQUIPMENT    213 


214 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


1 


Chap.  VII]        MAKING  SHELLS  WITH  REGULAR  SHOP  EQUIPMENT    215 


216 


SHRAPNEL 


ISec.  I 


^ 


m 

-lMj- 


r^ 

m 

I 

1 

■     ^--S 

rf5{- 

ig_ 


IJiililli!l!l 


Chap.  VII]        MAKING  SHELLS  WITH  REGULAR  SHOP  EQUIPMENT    217 

tions  the  forgings  are  held  in  two- jaw  chucks.  The  inside  is  faced,  formed, 
recessed  and  tapped.  The  production  is  225  pieces  per  hr.,  the  cutting 
speed  being  approximately  80  ft.  per  minute. 

Making  Projectile  Priming  Plug. — The  tools  used  for  making  the 
projectile  priming  plug.  Fig.  170,  are  shown  in  Fig.  171.  These  are  made 
from  brass  forgings  on  a  size  No.  33  five-spindle  machine.  They  are  solid 
and  weigh  6  oz.  each.  The  pieces  are  gripped  in  two- jaw  chucks  and  the 
outside  and  inside  operations  are  completely  finished.  The  outside  is 
turned,  formed,  necked  and  threaded.  The  inside  is  formed  out  with 
hollow  mills,  drilled,  counterbored,  necked  back  of  tap  and  tapped,  the 
tap  and  outside  thread  being  of  different  pitch,  but  both  threads  being 
cut  simultaneously  by  means  of  a  specially  designed  combination  tap 
and  die  head  which  allows  the  tool  of^steeper  pitch  to  advance  inde- 
pendently of  the  other. 


24  /•//A'Z'^^J--/..... .^^  V      J 


A  TflPLR  n9 


l4THREflDS- 


3R/f5S  F0R0IN6 


mi6H7Q0Z. 

FIG.    172.       TIME-FUSE   BODY 


/ 


/ 


Production  on  this  piece  is  180  per  hour;  weight  of  finished  piece,  3 
oz.,  and  approximate  cutting  speed  of  tools,  100  ft.  per  minute. 

Machining  Time -fuse  Bodies. — Time-fuse  bodies,  which  are  made 
from  brass  forgings,  come  to  the  machine  in  the  form  shown  in  Fig.  172(a). 
They  weigh  13  oz.  each  They  are  machined  to  the  shape  shown  in 
Fig.  1 72 (&),  using  for  the  two  settings  the  tools  shown  in  Figs.  173  and 
174  on  a  size  No.  23  four-spindle  machine. 

For  the  first  setting  the  parts  are  gripped  in  two-jaw  chucks  and  the 
end  A  is  bored  from  the  solid,  reamed,  recessed  and  tapped,  and  the  out- 
side taper  turned,  faced  and  threaded.  Although  not  so  shown,  this  end 
is  also  internally  threaded.  The  production  for  this  setting  is  55  pieces 
per  hour.  For  the  second  setting  the  pieces  are  held  in  threaded  draw- 
back collets  which  fit  into  the  threads  formed  in  the  previous  setting. 
The  head  and  stem  are  turned  and  faced,  and  the  stem  is  chamfered  and 
threaded.     The  production  is  120  per  hour.     The  weight  of  the  finished 


218 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


parts  is  8  oz.  each.     For  the  machining  operations  on  these  parts,  the 
tools  operate  at  a  cutting  speed  of  approximately  80  ft.  per  minute. 


I.               /' 

^  -  .                 11 

^ 

<y-~^ 

-~K,^J. 

II 

""^"] 

,-X-\fT:^ 

c 

"  <>,-- 

1 

Making  Time -fuse  Rings. — The  time  rings  shown  on  Fig.  175  are 
made  of  brass  forgings.     The  rough  blanks  for  the  pieces  weigh  6  oz. 


Chap.  VII]        MAKING  SHELLS  WITH  REGULAR  SHOP  EQUIPMENT    219 


each,  and  the  finished  parts,  4  oz.     The  operations  are  performed  in  one 
setting  on  a  size  No.  23  four-spindle  machine,  using  the  tools  shown  on 


lit 

J 

j. 

4^ 

pi 

^^ 

g     VS>    Uj 

ill 

pa 

^A^ 

^\^ 

H 

A<r 

^\        \ 

)e 

<   V 

^\\ 

): 

^^j^*^'^    V 

'   s 

<o\<o 

/ 

Fig.  176.  The  parts  are  gripped  in  two-jaw  chucks  and  then  the  end  A 
is  faced,  drilled  and  counterbored.  The  production  is  240  per  hour,  and 
the  cutting  speed  of  the  tools  approximately  80  ft.  per  minute. 


220 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


Chap.  VII]        MAKING  SHELLS  WITH  REGULAR  SHOP  EQUIPMENT    221 


222 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


A  BRIDGE  SHOP  TRANSFORMED  INTO  AN  ARSENAL 

The  Dominion  Bridge  Co.,  of  Montreal,  Canada,  devoted  one  entire 
department  in  their  large  plant  to  the  production  of  15  and  18-lb.  British 
shrapnel  and  installed  and  arranged  the  tool  equipment  of  this  shop' 
solely  with  the  view  of  handhng  the  work  expeditiously  and  with  as 
little  back  tracking  and  lost  motion  as  possible.  As  this  shop  was 
planned  and  arranged  for  the  special  task  of  shrapnel  shell  manufacture 
it  presents  an  interesting  example  of  the  processes  of  manufacture  in 
a  special  shop  with  special  equipment. 

The  General  Arrangement  of  Machines,  Etc. — The  general  arrange- 
ment of  the  machines  in  the  shell  department  is  indicated  in  Fig.  177,  by 
which  the  general  course  of  work,  from  the  rough  forging  to  the  finished 
shell,  can  readily  be  followed. 


FIG.  178.   THE  ROUGH  SHELLS  (AFTER  END  IS  CUT  OFF)  AND  THE  THREE  FLAT-TURRET 

OPERATIONS 

The  shells  are  first  cut  off  and  rough-faced  on  cutting-off  machines. 
They  then  go  to  the  first-operation  flat  turrets,  where  the  work  on  the 
outside  of  the  case  is  cared  for;  then  to  the  battery  of  second-operation 
machines,  where  they  are  bored.  After  this  the  shells  are  taken  to  an 
inspection  table,  where  they  are  given  a  preliminary  inspection  before 
heat-treating  so  that  defective  shells  may  be  discarded  without  incurring 
further  expense. 

The  next  operation  is  the  heat  treatment,  gas  furnaces  being  used  for 
the  purpose.  This  is  somewhat  outside  of  customary  practice,  but  it 
leaves  the  shell  in  first-rate  condition  with  very  little  scale.  The  harden- 
ing tanks  contain  whale  oil,  which  is  circulated  and  cooled  in  coils  running 
through  inclosing  water  tanks.  In  addition  to  this  it  is  found  necessary 
to  agitate  the  oil  by  means  of  compressed-air  jets. 


Chap.  VII]        MAKING  SHELLS  WITH  REGULAR  SHOP  EQUIPMENT    223 


Following  this  heat  treatment,  the  noses  of  the 
shells  are  brought  to  a  low  red-heat  by  immersion 
in  a  lead  pot,  after  which  they  are  ''bottled" 
under  a  punch  press.  The  chill  produced  by  this 
process  is  removed  by  anneaUng,  after  which  the 
shells  go  to  the  sandblast  room,  where  the  recess 
which  contains  the  "wave"  is  cleaned  out. 

Next  comes  the  third  flat-turret  operation,  in 
which  the  inside  and  outside  of  the  nose  are  ma- 
chined. From  here  the  shells  go  either  to  grinders 
or  to  body-finishing  lathes — both  processes  being 
employed  at  present — where  the  outside  and  the 
curved  nose  of  the  shell  are  brought  to  the  correct 
finished  sizes.  The  copper  driving  bands  are  next 
fitted  and  squeezed,  after  which  the  shells  proceed 
to  the  band-turning  lathes,  from  there  going  to 
the  filling  department,  where  they  are  filled  with 
shot  and  rosin  and  have  the  fuse  socket  screwed 
home. 

The  next  operation  is  finishing  the  socket, 
which  is  cared  for  on  brass-finishing  turret  lathes. 
Next  comes  the  final  inspection,  after  which  the 
shells  are  painted  and  shipped. 

The  Flat -turret  Operations. — Fig.  178  shows 
the  various  stages  of  the  shell  as  it  comes  to  and 
goes  from  the  flat-turret  lathes. 

At  A  is  the  rough  shell  with  its  end  cut  off,  B 
represents  the  completion  of  the  first  operation, 
C  shows  the  shell  bored  and  turned  taper,  and  D 
represents  the  completion  of  the  third  flat-turret 
operation,  in  which  the  inside  of  the  nose  is  com- 
pleted and  the  outside  is  roughly  shaped.  One  of 
the  most  difficult  problems  is  to  securely  grip  the 
shell  internally  for  the  first  operation.  Fig.  179 
shows  the  construction  of  the  driving  and  centering 
arbor  which  was  finally  devised  for  this  purpose. 

A  Difficult  Operation  Handled  Simply. — The 
action  of  the  flat  turrets  may  be  followed  very 
readily  by  inspecting  Figs.  180,  181  and  182,  in 
which  the  successive  operations  are  represented 
by  diagrams.  The  most  interesting  part  of  the 
first  operation  is  undoubtedly  the  forming  of  the 
waved  ribs.  An  idea  of  the  nature  of  the  wave 
may  be  had  from  Fig.  183.     The  construction  of 


FIG.  179.  DETAILS 
OF  THE  CENTERING 
MANDREL 


s 


224 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


the  tool  used  for  this  purpose  is  shown  in  Fig.  184.  It  operates  when 
the  roller  is  forced  against  a  wave  cam  mounted  upon  the  chuck  of  the 
machine. 


Form  Waved  /Afi/i^-^^ 
Ribs  {h;/      > 


FIG.    180.       FIRST  FLAT-TURRET   OPERATION 


^V  Finish  Bore 
^/    Disl^Seat 


=> 

p^.^i7=-| 

Powder 
Poc/(ef 

M  i    ,4''    1 

-i----------r--  H^rr  =  :i^L 

Finish 
Bore 
Powder 

K^al 

^ 

To 

Pockd- 

/ 

// 

T\  V'   '^\     l^ou3h  Turn  Nose 
^  Vr    \          £nd 

4 

^' Rough  Bore  Disk  Seah       \       \\ 

FIG 

181. 

SECOND 

FLA 

r-TURREI 

P  01 

'ERATION 

The  second  operation  set-up  finishes  the  powder  pocket  and  disk 
seat,  and  also  turns  the  outside  of  the  nose-end  taper  for  purposes  of 
bottling. 


Chap.  Vll]        MAKING  SHELLS  WITH  REGULAR  SHOP  EQUIPMENT .  225 

Reinforced  Boring  Bars. — The  construction  of  the  boring  bars  is 
rather  unique  and  is  illustrated  in  Fig.  185.  It  will  be  noticed  that  a 
solid  bar  extends  clear  across  the  turret  through  two  tool  holders,  thus 


3      OPERATION 
FI&.6 


FIG.    182.       THIRD    FLAT-TURRET   OPERATION 


FIG.    183.       THE    WAVE 

giving  an  extremely  strong  construction  as  compared  with  the  ordinary 
single  support.  The  other  two  bars  obtain  a  similar  support  by  being 
mortised  into  the  large  bar  at  their  shank  ends. 

15 


226 


SHRAPNEL 


[Sec.  I 


One  of  the  short  bars  used  for  this  purpose  is  shown  at  A,  Fig.  186, 
and  at  B  and  C  finishing  cutters  for  the  powder  pocket  and  disk  seat  are 
shown.  The  roughing  cutters  are  quite  similar,  except  that  they  are 
gashed  for  chip  clearance. 


Spring 


k-  Tool      /Holder 
}i 


TW  Tooldar 
Oacillafing 


Cam 


Roller 


FIG.    184.      THE  WAVING   TOOL  AND   HOLDER 


JtflnfuMI^ 

•s. 

r?^  ■'  \%. 

■*-*"■*■ 

-p.   //J 

u 

A  *~^^\ 

7  •T'-^^ 

FIG.    185.      THE   REINFORCED  BORING  BAR 


FIG.    186.       SOME   INTERESTING    TOOLS 


The  third  operation  on  the  flat  turrets,  while  appearing  to  be  rather 
complicated,  works  out  well,  the  curved  form  of  the  outside  being  cared 
for  by  a  modification  of  the  usual  flat-turret  taper-turning  device. 


Chap.  Vll]        MAKING  SHELLS  WITH  REGULAR  SHOP  EQUIPMENT    227 


FIG.    187.      ARRANGEMENT     FOR    FINISH-TURNING    THE    CASE    ON    AN    ENGINE    LATHE 


FIG.    188.      THE   PAINTING  BENCH 


PRODUCTION  BOARD 

DOMINION  5R1D6EC0                 LACHINE, QUEBEC. 

RECORD  OF  BEST  RUN        FEB.  23?I9IS 

PRODUCTION 
OPERATION                    PIECES    HOURS    RATEPERHOUR 

tjatal^Sc3aci{\    (D)3aa&i  ) 

1^5 

n'/E 

12.6.^ 

"     '■       "    (ZOpe/iotou) 

20*) 

21 

']AS^ 

OMdilxm  fJwoC  *l  > 

S'^ 

lOVz 

s.esL^ 

JM^diTd/at  (JrX    *Z) 

\H0 

|l'/£ 

ii.a.^ 

iijaWun^SAAt 

88 

Z 

^H  / 

yuan}?. 

HQ3 

10  Vz. 

'HG  / 

IkanAvn 

272 

ti 

3H.7/ 

Sjundj^llhDiiL 

562 

21 '/z 

^M.7/ 

^WmliouL      (Jvdt  *3) 

140 

li'/j 

1^  a  / 

cfmUih  "J/xm 

101 

10 '/z 

q-.fc/ 

(P/uuT^d 

430 

H'/z 

H6»^ 

^/vvn.1^/(^d 

ZZS 

IQ'/i 

ai^»^ 

OlMtnfYiJlrtt 

HQZ 

Sl'/^ 

7   ^ 

C^/umJyCckit 

211 

11'/^ 

16.4^ 

(PalJi 

3  3S 

18 

iB-fc"^ 

FIG.    189.      DIAGRAM   OF   THE   PRODUCTION  BOARD 


228  SHRAPNEL  [Sec.  I 

Finish-turning  the  Case. — The  Dominion  Bridge  Co.  finishes  the 
body  and  nose  of  the  shell  either  by  grinding  or  in  an  engine  lathe.  The 
latter  method  is  of  particular  interest  as  an  ingenious  attachment  enables 
the  work  to  be  accurately  and  expeditiously  performed. 

The  arrangement  is  shown  in  Fig.  187  in  which  the  template  A  is 
made  with  the  exact  shape  of  the  profile  of  the  projectile  and  a  roller  on 
the  cross-slide  is  kept  against  this  by  means  of  a  weight,  the  cross-feed 
screw  being  disconnected  and  tool  adjustment  made  with  the  compound 
rest.  After  being  annealed,  the  shells  may  be  turned  at  a  speed  of  from 
40  to  50  ft.  per  min.  and  a  feed  ranging  from  40  to  60  per  inch. 

A  Simple  Painting  Bench. — A  simple  and  effective  painting  bench  is 
used  for  holding  the  shells  while  applying  the  priming  and  finishing  coats. 
It  is  shown  in  Fig.  188  and  consists  of  a  number  of  inclined  spindles  of 
such  size  that  the  powder  tubes  of  the  assembled  shells  will  slip  over 
them.  The  painter  then  rotates  the  shell  upon  the  spindle  with  one 
hand  while  applying  the  paint  brush  with  the  other. 

Production. — The  average  time  consumed  in  turning  out  one  com- 
pleted shell  at  the  Dominion  Bridge  Co.,  including  the  handling  time  and 
one  or  two  minor  operations,  such  as  sand  blasting,  annealing,  etc.,  is 
very  little  over  one  hour.  The  piecework  system  of  payment  is  practised 
and  production  is  further  stimulated  by  a  large  ''Production  Board" 
upon  which  records  of  the  best  runs  are  posted  daily.  A  fac-simile  of 
one  day's  record  is  shown  in  Fig.  189.  In  the  right-hand  column,  the 
production  rate  is  recorded  and  the  betterment  of  this  record  is  enthu- 
siastically aimed  at. 


SECTION  II 
HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 

By 

E.  A.  SUVERKROP 

Page 
CHAPTER  I.         What  a  High-Explosive  Shell  Is  and  Does 231 

CHAPTER  II.        Forging  Blanks  for  4.5-In.  High-Explosive  Shells 236 

CHAPTER  111.      Manufacturing    British    18-Pounder   High-Explosive 

Shells 251 

CHAPTER  IV.       Manufacturing  British  4.5-In.  High-Explosive  Shells.  312 

CHAPTER  V.        Manufacturing  British  8-In.  High-Explosive  Shells.  . .  366 

CHAPTER  VI.       Operations   on  British  9.2-In.  High-Explosive  Shells.  .  389 

CHAPTER  VII.     Operations   on  the  British  12-In.  Mark  IV  Howitzer 

Shell 399 

CHAPTER  VIII.    Manufacturing  Russian  1-Lb.  High-Explosive  Shells.  412 

CHAPTER  IX.      Manufacturing   Russian  3-In.  High-Explosive  Shells.  442 

CHAPTER  X.        Manufacturing  Serbian  120-Millimeter  Shells 460 

CHAPTER  XI.      Manufacturing     French     120-Millimeter     Explosive 

Shells 494 


229 


CHAPTER  I 


WHAT  A  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELL  IS  AND  DOES^— EXPLOSIVES 

USED   WITH  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS^— STEEL  FOR 

HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 

The  modern  high-explosive  shell  is  an  elongated  hollow  projectile 
which  is  filled  with  some  kind  of  high  explosive,  called  a  bursting 
charge,  which  is  fired  by  a  fuse  provided  in  the  nose  of  the  projectile. 

Materials  of  Construction  and  Shape. — In  order  to  get  the  rotating 
motion  necessary  for  precision  the  projectile  is  provided  with  a  soft 
copper  band  near  its  base.  This  band  has  a  diameter  of  from  J-fo  to 
%o  of  an  inch  greater  than  the  caliber  of  the  projectile  and  the  force 
of  the  explosion  forces  the  band  to  conform  to  the  lands  and  grooves  of 


YuseP/ug 


Baf/isf/c 


Cap 
(Ca si- Iron) 


FIG.    190.       SECTION    OF    ARMOR-PIERCING    SHELL 

the  rifling  in  the  bore  of  the  cannon.  This  not  only  assures  proper  rota- 
tion, but  the  soft  band  is  thus  made  to  fill  the  entire  cross-section  of  the 
bore  and  therefore  to  act  as  a  gas  check  to  prevent  the  powder  gases 
from  escaping  around  and  in  front  of  the  projectile. 

These  copper  rotating  bands  are  forced  into  an  undercut  groove,  cut 
around  the  projectile  near  the  base.  The  band  of  copper  is  hammered 
in  and  the  ends  of  the  band  beveled  and  scarf  jointed  or  in  the  smaller 
calibers  the  band  is  cut  from  copper  tubing  and  is  forced  into  the  groove 
,by  hydraulic  pressure.  Longitudinal  or  irregular  cross  grooves  are  made 
in  the  seat  for  the  rotating  band  to  prevent  its  rotation  separately  from 
the  projectile.  The  outer  surface  of  the  rotating  band  is  smooth  for 
small  calibers  and  is  grooved  for  the  larger  calibers,  to  diminish  the 
resistance  of  forcing  the  rotating  band  into  the  grooves  of  the  rifling, 
as  well  as  to  provide  space  for  the  metal  forced  aside  by  the  bands. 

All  shells  have  the  same  general  shape,  consisting  of  a  cylindrical 
body  with  a  pointed  or  ogival  head,  which  shape  for  the  head  has  been 

1  First  Lieutenent  Percy  E.  Barbour,  22nd  Regiment,  New  York  Engineers 
N.G.  U.S. 

231 


232  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  [Sec.  II 

found  by  experience  to  be  most  advantageous  in  decreasing  the  wind 
resistance  of  the  projectile  in  its  flight  and  in  increasing  its  penetration 
when  it  is  fired  against  armor.  The  length  of  the  projectile  varies  from 
2)'^  to  5  times  the  caliber  of  the  gun. 

The  projectile  does  not  have  the  same  diameter  as  the  caliber  of  the 
gun.  The  bourrelet,  see  Fig.  190,  which  is  just  behind  the  ogival  head, 
has  a  diameter  of  about  0.01  in.  less  than  the  bore  of  the  gun.  The 
rotating  band,  as  has  been  described,  has  a  diameter  greater  than  the 
bore  of  the  gun  until  the  force  of  explosion  reduces  it  to  take  the  lands  and 
grooves. 

Between  the  bourrelet  and  the  rotating  band  the  diameter  of  the  pro- 
jectile is  about  0.07  in.  less  in  diameter  than  the  bore  of  the  gun.  This  is 
to  facilitate  and  cheapen  the  cost  of  manufacture,  and  to  prevent  any 
greater  bearing  of  the  projectile  in  the  bore  than  is  absolutely  necessary 
for  accuracy  of  fire. 

Fuse  and  Charge — For  field  work  the  shells  are  manufactured  to  take 
a  nose  fuse,  which  may  be  a  time  fuse  or  a  percussion  fuse  or  a  combina- 
tion of  the  two.  In  the  first  instance  the  fuse  will  explode  after  the  lapse 
of  the  desired  number  of  seconds.  A  percussion  fuse  is  one  which  will 
explode  only  when  the  projectile  meets  with  sufficient  resistance,  which 
of  course  is  the  case  when  fired  at  material  objects.  The  combination 
fuse  is  a  combination  of  the  two  methods  and  insures  the  explosion  of  the 
shell  when  it  falls,  even  should  the  time  device  fail. 

The  high-explosive  shell  carries  from  about  3  per  cent,  to  30  per 
cent,  of  its  weight  in  high  explosive,  the  amount  depending  upon  the  use 
for  which  the  shell  is  destined.  A  smaller  percentage  is  used  when  the 
shell  is  to  be  fired  at  men  than  when  the  purpose  is  to  demolish  a  structure 
or  destroy  opposing  artillery. 

The  most  common  size  for  use  with  infantry  is  the  3-in.  shell.  There 
is  a  logical  reason  for  fixing  upon  this  size.  Experience  has  shown  that, 
under  average  conditions,  a  horse  cannot  pull  more  than  650  lb.  and  be 
as  mobile  as  the  rapidly  moving  troop  column.  Six  horses  are  provided 
for  a  3-in.  battery  and  the  limit  of  weight  within  the  required  degree  of 
mobility  is  therefore  3,900  lb.  This  is  just  about  the  weight  of  the  3-in. 
field  gun,  together  with  the  carriage,  limber,  equipment  and  a  reasonable 
amount  of  ammunition. 

Artillery  of  position,  consisting  of  guns  permanently  mounted  in 
fortifications,  use  high-explosive  shells  of  very  much  greater  caliber  and 
much  different  character.  The  projectiles  are  designed  for  use  against 
armor  plate,  and  range  up  to  16  in.  in  diameter. 

In  seacoast  projectiles  the  detonating  fuse  is  invariably  placed  in  the 
base  of  the  projectile  instead  of  in  the  nose,  as  in  the  case  of  mobile 
artillery.  Time  fuses  are  never  used  with  this  type  of  projectile.  There 
are  three  types  of  seacoast  projectiles,  viz.:  Armor-piercing  shot,  armor- 


Chap,  l]  WHAT  A  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELL  IS   AND   DOES        233 

piercing  shell  and  deck-piercing  shell.  The  first  is  intended  to  perforate 
the  armor  and  to  be  exploded  in  the  interior  of  the  ship  by  a  compara- 
tively small  bursting  charge.  The  armor-piercing  shell  is  not  expected 
to  affect  complete  perforation  of  the  armor,  but  is  expected  to  make  some 
penetration  and  continue  destruction  by  exploding  against  the  partially 
ruptured  plate.  The  deck-piercing  shell  is  fired  from  high-angle-fire 
guns,  has  a  nearly  vertical  fall  and  is  intended  to  pierce  the  lightly 
protected  decks  of  vessels. 

UnUke  the  high-explosive  shells  of  mobile  artillery,  the  coast-artillery 
shells  do  not  have  the  same  sharp  point  or  nose.  They  are  equipped  with 
a  cast-iron  cap,  see  Fig.  190,  which  increases  the  penetration  of  the  pro- 
jectile when  it  strikes  the  armor.  The  function  of  this  cap  is  to  prevent 
the  deformation  of  the  point  of  the  projectile  at  the  instant  of  contact 
with  th€  armor  plate.  The  advantage  of  this  cast-iron  cap  is  so  great 
that  an  8-in.  capped  projectile  fired  at  a  3.5-in.  plate  effected  complete 
perforation  at  a  specified  range,  while  a  similar  projectile  uncapped,  fired 
from  the  same  range,  indented  the  plate  only  H  to  IJ^  in. 

The  wind  resistance  due  to  this  blunt  cap  is  very  great  and  the  new 
shells  are  being  equipped  with  a  ballistic  cap  or  wind  shield  which  is 
attached  in  front  of  the  cast-iron  cap  and  continues  the  taper  of  the 
ogival  head  and  makes  a  long-pointed  projectile.  This  so  reduces  the 
loss  of  energy  due  to  wind  resistance  that  in  some  cases  the  penetration  is 
doubled. 

Explosives  Used  with  High-explosive  Shells. — Cotton  is  the  basis  of 
the  most  important  propulsive  explosive  used  in  modern  warfare,  viz., 
smokeless  powder,  which  is  also  called  nitro-cellulose,  the  principal 
ingredients  of  which  consist  of  cotton  or  cellulose,  nitric  acid,  sulphuric 
acid,  ether  and  alcohol.  The  manufacture  of  this  explosive  is  complicated 
only  from  a  mechanical  standpoint.  There  are  no  chemical  mysteries 
about  it. 

Smokeless  powder  in  the  chamber  of  a  gun  is  not  intended  to  be 
detonated,  but  to  be  exploded  by  a  progressive  combustion,  the  result 
of  which  is  determined  by  the  characteristics  of  the  gun  or  the  service 
expected  of  it.  The  rate  of  the  combustion  depends  upon  the  amount  of 
surface  exposed,  hence  the  perforations  in  the  powder  grain  which  give 
this  added  surface. 

Cellulose  the  Basis  of  Smokeless  Powder. — Nitro-cellulose  is  a  general 
term  applied  to  products  resulting  from  the  action  of  nitric  acid  on  cellu- 
lose, in  which  the  organic  cellular  structure  of  the  original  cotton  fiber 
has  not  been  destroyed.  Guncotton  is  a  nitro-cellulose  of  high  nitra- 
tion, consisting  of  a  mixture  of  insoluble  nitro-cellulose  with  a  small 
quantity  of  soluble  nitro-cellulose,  and  a  very  small  quantity  of  unnitrated 
cellulose.  The  chemical  name  for  guncotton  is  tri-nitro-cellulose,  and  the 
formula  is  Ci2Hi404(N03)6. 


234  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  [Sec  II. 

In  the  manufacture  of  nitro-cellulose,  by  varying  the  strength  and 
the  proportions  of  the  nitric  and  sulphuric  acids,  their  temperature  and 
the  length  of  time  that  the  cotton  is  in  them,  a  number  of  different 
products  are  obtained  varying  in  the  rate  at  which  they  will  burn  and  the 
effects  produced,  and  in  the  degree  to  which  they  are  soluble  in  various 
solvents.  This  gives  many  different  grades  of  explosives  to  which  various 
names  are  applied  at  the  will  of  the  manufacturer  and  which  are  capable 
of  a  wide  latitude  of  adaptability  to  different  requirements. 

Cordite  is  a  British  smokeless  powder  consisting  of  37  parts  of  gun- 
cotton,  58  parts  nitroglycerin  and  5  parts  vaseline.  This  powder  gives  a 
very  high  muzzle  velocity  with  a  low  pressure  in  the  powder  chamber, 
but  the  temperature  of  its  explosion  is  so  high  that  it  causes  a  rapid 
erosion  of  the  bore  of  the  gun.  Therefore,  another  form  of  this  powder, 
known  as  Cordite  M.  B.,  in  which  the  ratio  of  the  guncotton  and  nitro- 
glycerin are  reversed,  has  been  made,  which  overcomes  these  disadvan- 
tages. This  illustrates  the  possibilities  of  different  combinations  of  the 
same  materials  to  effect  different  purposes. 

Benzol,  Toluol  and  Trotol. — Benzol  is  a  coal-tar  distillation  product 
comprising  a  mixture  of  benzene  with  variable  quantities  of  toluene 
and  other  homologues  of  the  same  series  which  are  obtained  commer- 
cially by  distillation  of  coal-tar  products,  principally  as  a  byproduct  from 
coke  ovens.  The  product  known  as  "  crude  benzol "  is  further  fractionally 
distilled,  and  by  this  means  separated  into  pure  benzene,  toluene  and 
other  true  chemical  compounds.  Benzene  is  CeHe  and  toluene  is  CyHg. 
A  90  per  cent,  benzol  is  a  product  of  which  90  per  cent,  by  volume  dis- 
tills before  the  temperature  rises  about  100  deg.  C.  The  composition 
of  a  90  per  cent,  benzol  is  about  70  benzene,  24  toluene,  and  4  to  6  of 
lighter  hydrocarbons.  Toluol  is  an  impure  form  of  toluene,  so  alike 
that  the  difference  is  only  detected  by  a  slight  discoloration  on  the 
addition  of  sulphuric  acid. 

Toluene  possesses  the  property  of  rendering  oxygen  very  active  and 
when  treated  with  nitric  and  sulphuric  acid  and  heated  for  several  days, 
yields  tri-nitro-toluene,  an  explosive  of  a  high  order  which  is  superseding 
the  use  of  picric  acid  as  a  base  for  shell  fillers  for  artillery  use. 

Picric-acid  Shell  Fillers. — Benzene,  a  redistillation  product  from 
benzol,  is  used  in  the  manufacture  of  carbolic  acid  or  phenol;  this  in  turn 
is  the  basis  of  picric  acid,  which  latter  is  the  base  of  most  of  the  high 
explosives  used  at  the  present  time.  When  phenol  (carbolic  acid)  is 
treated  with  nitric  acid,  a  nitrate  called  tri-nitro-phenol  is  formed.  Its ' 
only  use  is  as  an  explosive.  It  is  not  only  an  explosive  in  itself  but  more 
particularly  is  used  as  an  ingredient  of  special  explosive  mixtures.  Most 
of  the  new  so-called  shell-filler  explosives  are  either  picric  acid  or  mixtures 
of  picric  acid  salts  called  picrates.  Among  these  are  ecrasite  (Austrian), 
lyddite    (English),   melinite    (French),   shimose    (Japanese),   etc.     The 


Chap.  I]  WHAT  A  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELL  IS  AND  DOES        235 

exact  compositions  of  these  are  secrets  carefully  guarded  by  the  different 
governments. 

Picric  acid,  although  a  powerful  explosive,  forms  in  connection  with 
lead,  iron  and  some  other  metals  very  sensitive  and  dangerous  com- 
pounds. This  is  true  to  such  an  extent  that  it  is  dangerous  to  paint 
the  interior  of  a  shell — which  is  to  be  loaded  with  a  picric-acid  derivative 
— with  a  paint  which  has  either  red  or  white  lead  in  it,  and  it  is  also 
dangerous  to  use  red  or  white  lead  in  screwing  in  a  base  plug.  Trotol 
does  not  have  this  disadvantage. 

Both  picric  acid  and  trotol  are  safe  to  handle  and  are  loaded  into  the 
shells  either  by  hand,  in  which  case  they  are  tamped  in  soUdlywith 
wooden  rammers  and  mallets,  or  they  are  compressed  into  the  shell 
cavity  by  machinery. 

Owing  to  their  relative  insensitiveness,  a  very  strong  detonator  is 
required  in  the  shell  to  cause  their  explosion  which,  unlike  the  slower 
explosion  due  to  the  inflammation  of  propulsive  powders,  is  desired  to  be 
as  instantaneous  as  possible  to  produce  the  greatest  shattering  and 
destructive  effect. 

STEEL  FOR  HIGH -EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 

The  steel  for  high-explosive  shells  can  be  produced  either  by  the 
"acid-openhearth"  or  the  ''stock-converter"  process.  When  produced 
by  the  stock-converter  process,  nonphosphoric  pig  iron  must  be  used. 
The  steel  must  be  of  the  best  quality,  homogeneous,  free  from  flaws,  seams 
and  piping.  Apart  from  the  iron  the  following  chemical  elements  may 
occur  in  the  percentages  given  in  the  table  herewith: 


Carbon 

Nickel 

Silicon 

Manganese . 
Sulphur .... 
Phosphorus. 
Copper 


Minimum 
Per  Cent. 

Maximum 
Per  Cent. 



0.55 

0.50 

0.30 

0.40 

1.00 

0.04 

.... 

0.04 

0.10 

CHAPTER  II 

CASTING   STEEL  FORGING   BLANKS   FOR   4.5-IN.   EXPLOSIVE 
SHELLS!— FORGING  THE  BLANKS  FOR   4.5-IN.  HIGH- 
EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS^— FORGING  BASE-PLATES 
FOR  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS^ 

The  bodies  of  high-explosive  shells  larger  than  3.3-in.  in  diameter 
are  customarily  made  from  forged  blanks,  while  shells  3.3-in.  in  diameter 
and  smaller  can  be  most  economically  made  from  bar  stock.  Before 
taking  up  the  actual  processes  of  manufacture  of  high-explosive  shells, 
therefore,  it  is  advisable  to  consider  the  making  of  the  blanks  for  the 
larger  shells,  so  that  the  subsequent  chapters  devoted  to  the  manufac- 
ture of  specific  shells  may  be  limited  to  a  description  of  the  machining 
operations  on  the  blanks  or  stock  as  received  at  the  machine  shop. 

The  Canadian  Steel  Foundries,  Ltd.,  at  their  plant  at  Longue  Pointe, 
Montreal,  Canada,  casts  ingots  for  4,000  British  4.5-in.  howitzer  shells 
every  24  hours,  and  the  methods  employed  in  this  foundry,  as  well  as 
the  forging  operations  conducted  at  the  Dominion  works  of  the  Canadian 
Car  &  Foundry  Co.,  Ltd.,  to  which  the  forging  blanks  are  delivered, 
typifies  highly  efficient  and  economical  practice. 

The  ingots  are  cast  in  metal  molds,  procedure  which,  to  the  man 
familiar  with  iron-foundry  practice,  would  be  expected  to  chill  the  steel 
and  to  make  necessary  a  long  annealing  operation  to  render  the  metal 
machinable. 

As  a  matter  of  fact  there  is  no  chilling  effect — that  is  to  say,  no  harden- 
ing due  to  casting  in  metal  molds,  although  there  is  a  chilling  effect 
in  the  sense  that  there  is  a  shortening  of  the  cooling  time.  No  annealing 
is  necessary  however,  the  ingots,  as  soon  as  possible  after  casting,  being 
knocked  out  of  the  molds  and  sent  to  the  machine  shop. 

The  government  requirements  for  this  steel  are  the  same  as  those  for 
the  bar  steel  used  for  the  production  of  the  forgings  for  the  15-  and  18-lb. 
shrapnel.  It  must  have  a  yield  point  of  at  least  19  long  tons;  tensile 
strength  between  35  and  49  long  tons  and  elongation  of  20  per  cent. 
The  carbon  must  be  between  0.45  and  0.55  per  cent.;  nickel  under 
0.50;  manganese  between  0.4  and  1.0;  sulphur  and  phosphorus  under  0.05. 

The  Mixture. — A  steel  fulfilling  these  demands  is  obtained  from  the 
following  mixture: 

About  20  per  cent.  Chautauqua  or  similar  low-phosphorus  pig  iron, 

^  E.  A.  Suverkrop,  Associate  Editor,  American  Machinist. 

236 


Chap.  II]  CASTING  STEEL  FORGING  BLANKS  237 

40  per  cent,  openhearth  scrap  steel  and  the  balance  low-phosphorus 
heavy-melting  scrap  steel.  The  steel  is  produced  in  two  30-ton  furnaces 
by  the  acid  openhearth  process.  These  are  fired  with  ordinary  fuel  oil 
at  a  pressure  of  80  lb.  per  sq.  in.  and  air  at  100  lb.  per  sq.  in. 

The  consumption  of  oil  is  very  low,  amounting  to  33  or  34  gal.  per 
ton  of  melt.     The  time  necessary  to  melt  a  charge  is  about  5  hours. 

The  Ladle. — The  entire  charge  of  25  tons  of  steel  is  run  from  the  fur- 
nace into  the  40-ton  bottom-pouring  ladle,  which  is  made  of  heavy  boiler 
plate  lined  with  firebrick.  The  plug  which  stops  the  hole  in  the  bottom 
of  the  ladle  is  made  of  graphite,  conical  in  shape  with  the  end  entering 
the  hole  somewhat  rounded.  These  graphite  plugs  will  stand  up  for 
about  300  openings  and  closings  before  erosion  makes  them  useless  as 
stoppers. 

The  Molds  and  Rotary  Tables. — To  avoid  moving  the  traveling  crane 
supporting  the  heavy  ladle,  the  ladle  is  brought  to  a  convenient  position 
and  held  stationary  while  the  molds,  mounted  on  a  circular  rack  table, 
are  rotated  under  the  ladle  by  the  manipulation  of  a  hand  wheel  operating 
the  turning  mechanism.     (See  Fig.  191.) 

The  molds  are  33  in.  long  with  a  4i^{6-in.  hole.  The  wall  is  1}^  in. 
thick;  the  trunnions  rectangular,  3  in.  square,  with  a  2-in.  square  opening 
in  them  and  projecting  2  in.  from  the  side  of  the  mold. 

The  runner  cups  rest  on  the  mold  and  are  9^  in.  diameter  at  the  bot- 
tom, tapering  to  SJ-^  in.  at  the  top.  They  are  4  in.  deep,  and  the  pouring 
hole  is  6  in.  diameter  at  the  top,  tapering  to  3  in.  on  the  end  next  the 
mold. 

The  circular  tables,  of  which  there  are  four,  are  16  ft.  8  in.  inside 
diameter  and  18  ft.  4  in.  outside  diameter.  Fifty  machined  rectangular 
surfaces  provide  accommodation  for  50  molds. 

Pouring. — The  40-ton  ladle  is  picked  up  by  the  crane  and  suspended 
over  one  of  the  molds  in  the  position  shown  in  Fig.  191.  The  man  at 
A  is  provided  with  heavy  blue-glass  goggles  and  directs  both  the  men  at 
the  turning  gear  and  the  valve  operator  (not  shown),  who  manipulates 
the  opening  and  closing  of  the  valve  in  the  ladle  through  the  lever  B. 
The  entire  heat  is  run  off  in  about  55  minutes. 

Losses  in  Casting. — Forty  per  cent,  of  each  ingot  (or  13  in.  of  the 
long  ingots)  is  cropped  off.  This  part  contains  the  ''pipe"  due  to  shrink- 
age, which  measures  2  to  3  in.  diameter  at  the  top  and  tapers  to  nothing, 
generally  in  considerably  less  than  the  13  in.  mentioned  above.  Another 
cause  of  loss  is  seizing  in  the  mold. 

The  losses  due  to  shrinkage  and  other  defects  amount  to  only  about 
3  per  cent. 

Emptying  the  Molds. — When  the  ingots  have  set  satisfactorily,  but 
while  they  are  still  quite  hot,  the  molds  are  emptied,  preparatory  for 
the  next  heat.     The  molds  are  lifted  by  the  crane  and  usually  the  ingots 


238 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


Chap.  II]  CASTING  STEEL  FORGING  BLANKS  239 

readily  slide  out.  Those  that  do  stick  can  readily  be  loosened  by  striking 
the  mold  with  one  or  two  blows  from  a  hammer.  In  cases  where  the 
ingots  cannot  be  dislodged  by  the  hammer,  they  are  forced  from  the 
molds  by  the  aid  of  a  large  Bertram  hydraulic  press. 

First  Inspection. — While  the  ingots  are  still  hot,  they  are  loaded  into 
heavy  tote  boxes  and  taken  to  the  inspection  floor,  where  they  are  care- 
fully examined  for  cracks  or  other  defects  which  would  render  them 
useless. 

The  heads  of  the  ingots,  through  the  base  of  which  the  shrinkage 
''pipe"  passes,  are  then  broken  off,  leaving  the  end  smooth  enough  for 
the  reception  of  a  ''false  center."  This  consists  simply  in  a  centered 
steel  cap  which  is  slipped  over  the  end  of  the  ingot  and  secured  by  two 
setscrews. 

Parting  the  Blanks. — The  ingots  are  of  such  length  that  two  shell  blanks 
are  secured  from  each  casting,  the  blanks  being  parted  in  heavy  axle  lathes. 

The  government  specification  for  shell  blanks  produced  in  this  way 
requires  that  one-sixth  of  the  cross-sectional  area  shall  be  left  for  breaking, 
so  that  the  fracture  may  be  inspected.  Five  heavy  lathes  on  which 
simple  chucks,  with  a  hinged  clamping  member  and  swing-bolt,  have  been 
mounted  on  each  side  of  the  central  driving  head  are  run  night  and  day  on 
the  cutting-off  job.  The  parting  tools  are  forged  from  Firth  high-speed 
steel  1  X  2  in  section,  and  vary  from  %  to  J^  in.  wide  in  the  cut.  The 
speed  of  the  work  depends  on  the  hardness  of  the  stock,  which  varies 
slightly  from  heat  to  heat.  The  depth  of  cut  is  approximately  2  in. 
The  feed  is  by  hand  and  is  all  that  the  tool  will  stand. 

Breaking  Out  the  Blanks. — After  being  taken  from  the  parting  lathes, 
the  ingots  are  laid  on  the  floor  with  one  end  resting  on  a  3  X  4-in.  piece  of 
timber,  and  the  blanks  broken  out  with  the  end  of  a  3-ft.  sledge.  The 
rate  of  production  is  about  2  sec.  for  each  blank. 

Second  Inspection. — After  breaking,  the  blanks  and  crop  ends  are 
loaded  into  separate  boiler-plate  tote  boxes.  The  crop  ends  are  returned 
to  the  foundry  for  remelting  and  the  blanks  go  to  the  government  inspec- 
tion tables.  Each  table  is  manned  by  two  inspectors  and  two  helpers. 
It  is  a  piece  of  2-in.  pine,  12  in.  wide  and  about  6  ft.  long,  supported  on 
well-braced  trestles. 

A  helper  takes  a  blank  from  the  tote  box  and  lays  it  on  the  table. 
One  of  the  inspectors  rolls  it  along  the  table,  examining  it  carefully  for 
cracks.  It  is  then  inspected  on  the  ends  for  possible  "pipes"  and  defect- 
ive fractures;  having  been  inspected,  the  second  inspector  at  the  end  of 
the  table  stamps  it.  Two  inspectors  and  two  helpers  can  pass  blanks 
at  the  rate  of  about  three  to  four  per  minute. 

Removing  the  Buttons. — The  round  projection  left  at  the  point  of 
fracture  is  removed  by  planing,  shaping  and,  if  there  is  not  too  much  metal 
to  remove,  by  grinding. 


240  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  [Sec.  II 

In  Fig.  192  is  shown  a  Bertram  open-side  planer  working  on  this  job. 
The  heads  on  the  cross-rail  serve  the  double  jig  A,  which  holds  40  shell 
blanks,  while  the  side  head  takes  care  of  the  20  blanks  in  the  single  jig  B. 


^^^^^^^^^^^^^H 

r        "■            -'r 

1 

1 

FIG.    192.       PLANING   THE  BUTTONS    OFF 


Two  sets  of  jigs  are  used,  and  while  one  set  is  on  the  planer,  the  other  is 
being  emptied  and  refilled  with  blanks.  After  planing  the  buttons  off 
one  side,  the  jig  A  is  turned  over  and  the  jig  B  is  turned  end  for  end  to 


FIG.    193.       GRINDING  BUTTONS 


present  the  buttons  on  the  other  side  to  the  tools.     The  output  for  10  hr. 
on  the  planer  is  450  shell  blanks. 

Where  the  buttons  are  not  too  thick,  they  are  removed  by  grinding 
on  the  machines  shown  in  Fig.   193.     The  shell  blank  is  ''chucked" 


Chap.  II] 


CASTING  STEEL  FORGING  BLANKS 


241 


with  the  wedge  A,  and  the  truck  rolled  in  under  the  abrasive  wheel  until 
its  wheels  are  stopped  by  the  bar  B.  The  direction  of  rotation  of  the 
wheel  keeps  the  truck  against  the  stop.  The  operator  applies  pressure 
to  the  wheel  by  leaning  on  the  two  bars  C.  By  this  method  from  150 
to  175  ends  per  man  can  be  ground  in  10  hr. 

Analyses  and  Tests. — Two  sample  ingots  for  analysis  are  usually 
taken  from  each  heat.  One  of  these  is  obtained  when  about  one-third 
of  the  heat  has  been  run  off,  and  the  other  at  the  end  of  the  run.  In 
case  of  necessity,  a  complete  analysis  can  be  run  through  in  an  hour,  but 
there  is  generally  plenty  of  time  to  run  the  analysis  before  the  ingots 
are  ready  to  be  cut  into  blanks. 

Drillings  are  taken  from  the  test-block  and  analyzed  for  carbon, 
sulphur,  phosphorus  and  manganese.     The  carbon  content  is  ascertained 


FIG.    194.       42-CARBON    STEEL    AS    CAST 


FIG.  195. 


42-CARBON  FORGED 
SAMPLE 


by  the  combustion  method  as  the  color  method  gives  only  an  approxima- 
tion, except  when  the  standard  has  been  given  exactly  the  same  treat- 
ment as  the  sample. 

In  Fig.  194  is  shown  a  reproduction  from  a  photo-micrograph  of  the 
metal  in  an  ingot  containing  0.42  carbon,  0.28  silicon,  0.72  manganese, 
0.032  sulphur,  0.031  phosphate. 

In  Fig.  195  is  shown  a  sample  taken  from  one  of  the  shell  blanks 
after  forging.  Forging  has  brought  the  yield  point  up  to  19.2  long  tons. 
The  tensile  strength  is  40.7  long  tons,  just  about  the  same  as  in  the  un- 
forged  casting.     The  elongation  is  25.7  per  cent. 

Drillings  for  analysis  are  also  taken  from  several  blanks  from  each 
heat.  A  M-in.  drill  is  run  in  1)^  in.  in  the  cut  end,  so  there  will  be  no 
scale  to  influence  the  analysis. 

Chemical  and  physical  tests  are  made  of  each  heat,  both  by  the  works 

16 


242 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


chemist  and  by  the  government.     Records  are  kept  of  each  and  e very- 
melt.     The   metal,  as  cast,  must  also  withstand  a  compression   test. 

The  test  piece  is  in  the  shape  of  a  cylinder  the 
height  of  which  is  equal  to  the  diameter.  This 
cylinder  must  stand  compression  to  one-half 
the  height  without  showing  cracks. 

In  the  table,  Fig.  196,  are  shown  analyses 
and  physical  properties  of  four  heats,  running 
from  0.38  to  0.42  per  cent,  carbon.  The  phys- 
ical tests  were  made  from  test-bars  cut  from 
forged  shell  blanks  and  the  analyses  were  found 
to  prove  out  as  described. 


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Once  the  furnace  is 
in  about  45  minutes. 


FORGING  THE  BLANKS 

As  received  at  the  Dominion  works  of  the 
Canadian  Car  &  Foundry  Co.,  Ltd.,  the  blanks 
from    the    Canadian    Steel    Foundries,    Ltd., 
measure  4%-in.  in  diameter  by  9-in.  in  height. 
They  weigh  from  46  to  48  lb.  each,  the  varia- 
tion being  due  to  slight  differences  in  diameter. 
^     A  difference  of  }{q  in.  in  diameter  on  a  blank 
w     of  this  size  causes  difference  of  about  one  pound 
p     in  the  weight.     Center-punch    marks    on  the 
<    end   of    the  blank   indicate  the  melt  number 
and  also  whether  it  is  a  test  blank  which  is  to 
be  forged.     If  the  latter,   it  must  pass  both' 
chemical  and  physical  tests  before  the  rest  of 
the    blanks    bearing    that    melt    number   are 
shipped  from  the  foundry.     All  blanks  have 
the  melt  number  stamped  with  ordinary  steel 
stamps   on  their  sides,  but  as  this  would  be 
obliterated  by  the  forging  operations,  the  heavy 
center-punch    marks    are    necessary.     During 
forging  they  are  distorted,  but  they  appear  on 
the  rim  after  the  final  forging  operation  and 
;     can  be  readily  deciphered. 
;  Piercing. — The   first    forging    operation    is 

'     piercing   and   this   is   done   under  a  Bertram 
steam  hammer  with  the  tools  shown  in  Fig.  197. 
The  blanks  are  placed  with  a  scoop  25  or 
so  at  a  time,  in  a  reverberatory  furnace  using 
oil  at  30  lb.  pressure,  with  air  at  80  lb.,  for  fuel, 
hot,  the  blanks  reach   the  forging  temperature 
Three  men  handle  the  piercing  operation — one 


Chap.  II] 


CASTING  STEEL  FORGING  BLANKS 


243 


furnaceman,  a  hammerman  and  a  blacksmith.  When  the  blanks  have 
reached  a  full  yellow  heat,  the  furnaceman  takes  a  long  iron  hook  and 
tumbles  one  out  on  the  floor  in  front  of  the  furnace.  He  then  seizes  it 
with  a  pair  of  pick-up  tongs  and  drops  it  into  the  die,  the  hole  in  which 
is  large  enough  to  let  it  drop  clear  to  the  anvil  face.  He  next  takes  the 
punch  guide  and  places  it  over  the  blank.  The  smith,  in  the  mean- 
time, has  taken  the  punch  in  a  pair  of  pick-ups  and  entered  it  in  the  hole 
in  the  guide  punch.     The  hammerman,  guided  by  a  nod  from  the  smith, 


^-4-^ 


J 


FIG.    197. 


->f  <-  ->- 


@ 


FIRST  OPERAT/ON  PUNCH  6UJD£: 


CHAR6/N6  SCOOP 

DETAILS   OF  FIRST  OPERATION  PUNCH   AND   DIE   AND   CHARG- 
ING   SCOOP 


makes  two  or  three  strokes  with  the  hammer.  With  the  hammer  in 
raised  position  the  smith  quickly  removes  the  punch  and  plunges  it 
for  an  instant  in  water.  As  the  hole  now  started  is  capable  of  acting  as 
a  guide  for  the  punch,  the  guide  is  removed  by  the  furnaceman  and 
dropped  in  a  tub  of  water.  Just  before  the  smith  replaces  the  punch  in 
the  hole  in  the  work,  the  hammerman  throws  a  pinch  of  soft-coal  dust 
in  ahead  of  it.  Again  guided  by  a  nod  from  the  smith,  the  hammerman 
strikes  four  or  five  blows.  The  gas  generated  from  the  coal  dust,  blow- 
ing out  around  the  punch,  prevents  it  sticking  in  the  work.     The  punch 


244 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


is  again  removed  and  dropped  in  water.  The  furnaceman  now  presses 
down  on  the  long  die  handle  and  the  die  and  work  are  lifted  clear  of  the 
anvil.  While  thus  raised  the  hammerman  places  a  steel  disk  about  4 
in.  diameter  and  1  in.  thick  under  the  work  in  the  die,  which  is  then 
lowered  so  that  the  work  within  it  rests  on  the  steel  disk.  A  single  stroke 
of  the  hammer  on  the  die  top  drives  the  die  down  past  the  work,  and  the 
disk  forces  the  work  into  the  large  part  of  the  tapered  hole  in  the  die. 
The  furnaceman  now  turns  the  die  over  with  the  handles,  the  finished 
first-operation  blank  drops  out  of  the  die  and  is  picked  up  by  the  smith 
and  thrown  into  an  iron  tote  box. 

The  entire  operation  of  piercing  the  blank  consumes  but  about  1  min. 

The  die  is  a  steel  casting  machined  to  the  dimensions  shown  in  Fig. 

197  and  will  stand  up  for  about  two  days  before  it  has  to  be  re-dressed 

inside.     Re-dressing  becomes  necessary  because  of  upsetting  and  getting 

smaller,  not,  as  one  would  expect,  because  it  gets  larger.     The  punches. 

Fig.  197,  are  made  of  about  80-point  car- 
bon steel,  and  last  from  four  to  five  days. 
They  usually  fail  because  of  heavy  check- 
ing on  the  extrerne  end.  In  Fig.  197 
reference  letters  are  used  to  indicate  di- 
mensions that  are  correlated. 

The  work  after  the  first  operation  is 
conical,  measuring  about  ^}i  in.  diameter 
at  the  top  and  5  in.  at  the  bottom.  In 
length  it  is  about  9  in.,  the  same  as  the 
ingot  blank,  from  which  it  was  forged. 
The  pierced  hole  is  3  in.  diameter  and 
about  4  in.,  more  or  less,  in  depth.  The 
average  output  for  a  24-hr.  day  is  500 
pieces. 

Second  Operation. — The  second  operation  is  in  reality  a  further 
piercing  operation  to  which  is  added  the  effect  of  squirting.  The  metal 
displaced  by  the  punch,  following  the  line  of  least  resistance,  flows  upward 
between  the  punch  and  die. 

This  operation  is  done  on  the  500-ton  R.  D.  Wood  flanging  press. 
The  upper  part  of  this  press,  carrying  the  punch,  is  stationary,  while  the 
base,  carrying  the  die  holder,  moves.  The  die  holder  is  a  heavy  iron 
casting  with  accommodation  for  two  sets  of  dies.  The  die  is  a  steel 
casting  made  by  the  same  concern  that  casts  the  blanks.  It  is  machined 
as  shown  in  Fig.  198.  In  the  bottom  is  a  countersunk  hole  to  accom- 
modate a  IJ-^-in.  rivet  that  acts  as  a  knock-out. 

The  work  for  the  second  operation  is  heated  in  a  furnace  similar  to 
that  used  for  the  first  operation.  It  is,  however,  provided  with  an  in- 
clined chute  down  which  the  hot  blanks  roll  as  they  are  pulled  from  the 


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A 

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A 

B 

H 

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W 

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V 

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mM^M~^^M 

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FIG. 


198.       SECTION    OP   SECOND- 
OPERATION   DIE 


Chap.  II]  CASTING  STEEL  FORGING  BLANKS  245 

furnace.  The  lower  end  of  the  chute  is  within  easy  reaching  distance 
for  the  pressman.  The  operation  is  as  follows:  The  furnaceman  pulls 
a  hot  blank  from  the  furnace  with  a  long  hook.  A  helper,  grasping  it 
with  a  pair  of  pick-ups,  places  it  upright  on  a  block  of  iron.  After  scrap- 
ing the  scale  off,  the  helper  picks  it  up  again  and  drops  it  in  the  die,  which 
is  about  an  inch  deeper  than  the  length  of  the  first-operation  work.  He 
then  opens  the  valve  and  the  ram  ascends.  Just  before  the  work  reaches 
the  punch,  the  smith  in  charge  of  the  second  operation  throws  a  pinch 
of  soft-coal  dust  in  ahead  of  the  punch.  The  work  coming  upward,  strikes 
the  punch  and  is  pierced  by  it.  Just  before  the  completion  of  the  stroke 
the  excess  of  metal  in  the  blank  squirts  upward  about  3  in.  around  the 
punch.  The  gas  generated  from  the  coal  dust  bursts 
out  in  a  jet  of  flame  all  around  the  punch  and  keeps  [^---fe--^ 

it  from  sticking.  The  stroke  of  the  plunger  is  posi-  ^ ,%  |  -^^-^ 
tively  controlled  by  the  two  piles  of  parallel  blocks  ?^^^^  ) 
coming  in  contact  with  the  upper  platen  of  the  press. 
The  ram  is  reversed,  and  the  die  and  work  recede  from 
the  punch.  When  near  the  end  of  the  downward  travel 
of  the  ram,  chains  raise  a  bar,  which  strikes  the  knock- 
out in  the  die  and  causes  it  to  lift  the  work  and  loosen 
it  in  the  die.  It  is  then  readily  removed  with  a  pair  of 
pick-ups  and  laid  to  one  side.  The  stroke  of  the 
second-operation  press  is  20  in.     This  operation  takes 

a   little  longer  than  the  first,  but  an  output  of  500    ^ ^ — K.^ 

pieces  in  24  hours  can  be  maintained.  ^ERATioNPUNcn' 

These  dies  also  are  made  from  steel  castings  and 
have  an  average  life  of  about  1,000  pieces.  The  punches.  Fig.  199,  are 
made  of  the  same  steel  as  those  for  the  first  operation,  and  will  stand 
up  for  about  500  pieces.  They  are  secured  in  the  upper  platen  by 
means  of  a  nut  passing  over  the  body  of  the  punch  and  clamping  the 
flange  of  its  seat  in  the  upper  platen. 

The  work  comes  from  the  second  operation,  conical  in  shape,  about 
534  in.  diameter  at  the  top,  5  in.  diameter  at  the  bottom  and  about  11% 
in.  high.  The  hole  is  tapered,  3  in.  at  the  bottom  Zy^  in.  at  the  top. 
The  base  of  the  work  at  the  completion  of  the  second  operation  is  IJ^ 
in.  thick. 

Third  Operation. — The  third  and  last  operation,  the  final  drawing  of 
the  shell,  is  performed  on  an  R.  D.  Wood  500-ton  press  similar  in  every 
particular  to  that  used  for  the  second  operation.  Owing  to  the  length 
of  the  punch  and  work  the  stroke  of  the  press  is  increased  to  30  in.  for  this 
operation. 

The  punch  is  mounted  in  the  upper  platen,  as  in  the  previous  opera- 
tion. The  die  holder  is  bored  centrally  to  receive  two  dies  placed  tandem, 
one  above  the  other.     The  bored  die  seat  communicates  with  the  cored 


246 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


recess  in  the  die  holder,  which  is  for  the  insertion  of  a  forked  stripper, 
and  the  removal  of  the  completed  work. 

Heating  of  the  completed  second-operation  blanks  for  the  final  draw- 
ing is  accomplished  in  a  furnace  similar  to  those  used  for  the  first  and 
second  operations.  The  hot  blank,  on  being  taken  from  the  furnace,  is 
first  scraped  to  remove  the  outside  scale.     It  is  then  placed  mouth-up 


r 


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/nspeCtop^  overall 

LEN6TH  6A6E 


jL 


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^  Round  steel - 


T 


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/NSPECTOffS  BASE 
THICKNESS  6A6E 


'^//////////A^.^Z^ 


W///////////.y///////z 


e^ 


: 


FIG.    200.       FIXTURE    FOR   TESTING    AMOUNT   OF   METAL    FOR    TURNING 


in  the  die.  The  valve  being  opened,  the  ram  ascends.  Just  before  the 
punch  enters  the  work,  the  smith  throws  the  usual  pinch  of  soft  coal  into 
the  hole.  At  the  completion  of  the  stroke  the  work,  still  clinging  to  the 
punch,  is  in  the  recess  under  the  dies.  The  pressman  takes  the  forked 
stripper,  inserts  it  above  the  work,  the  ram  is  reversed  and  the  work 
drops  to  the  lower  platen,  from  which  it  is  taken.     The  smith  then  gages 

it  with  a  forked  gage  similar  to  that  shown  in 
Fig.  200. 

With  the  forging  lying  on   its  side,  the 
shorter  leg  is  inserted  till  it  touches  the  bot- 
tom of  the  hole.     The  end  of  the  longer  leg 
should  then  be  flush  with  the  bottom  on  the 
outside,  the  difference  in  the  lengths  of  the 
two  legs,  13^  in.,  indicating  the  thickness  of 
the  base.     The  forgings  are  placed  in  a  pile 
and  allowed  to  cool  slowly,  so  as  to  leave  them  in  workable  condition. 
The  forging,  as  completed,  is  4%  in.  diameter  by  12%  in.  long,  with  a 
base  IJ'^  in.  thick. 

The  dies  for  the  third  operation,  shown  in  Fig.  201,  are  cast  iron,  the 
drawing  faces  being  cast  against  a  chill.  Their  life  varies  from  one  or 
two  pieces  up  to  as  high  as  1,000.  A  fair  average  would  be  500.  They 
generally  fail  by  wearing  out,  that  is,  becoming  too  large,  so  that  they 


FIG. 


CNILLED  CAST  JROfi 
201.       THIRD- OPERATION 
DIES 


Chap.  II] 


CASTING  STEEL  FORGING  BLANKS 


247 


^-4f-^ 


F 


■5f-> 


do  not  draw  the  shell  long  enough.  It  will  be  noted  by  referring  to  Fig. 
201  that  the  upper  die  is  y^  in.  larger  in  diameter  than  the  bottom  one. 
When  the  latter  wears  too  large  it  is  re-dressed  by  grinding  and  used  as 
an  upper  die.  The  punches,  Fig.  202,  are  made  of  the  same  steel  as 
those  for  the  previous  operations  and  average  about  500  pieces;  in  one 
instance  5,000  were  produced  with  a  single  punch.  They  fail  principally 
through  bending,  which  is  difficult  to  offset. 
Care  in  centering  the  blank  properly  in  the  dies 
is  of  considerable  assistance  in  keeping  the 
punches  straight. 

Inspection. — After  the  forgings  have  cooled 
they  are  taken  to  the  government  inspection 
tables,  which  are  equipped  with  the  inspection 
appliances  shown  in  Fig.  200.  ^The  forging  is 
first  inspected  for  length  with  the  overall  gage. 
Next,  the  thickness  of  the  base  is  tested  with  the 
forked  gage,  which  is  similar  to,  but  shorter 
than,  the  smith's  gage.  The  relation  of  the  hole 
to  the  outside  and  whether  the  forging  will 
"clean  up"  are  ascertained  with  the  fixture 
which  is  shown  in  Fig.  200. 

The  head  D  carries  a  spindle  E^  the  nose  of 
which  is  tapered  to  receive  the  expanding  sleeve 

F,  which  fits  in  the  hole  in  the  forging  K,  shown 
in  section.  A  hand- wheel  G  provides  means  for 
rotating  the  spindle  and  work.  The  head  Z)  is 
bolted  to  a  flat  piece  of  boiler  plate  R^  which  is 

sufficiently  accurate  for  this  work.  The  height  gage  /  is  provided  with 
a  hardened  fixed  indicator  J.  Inspection  consists  of  sliding  the  forging 
K  on  the  expanding  mandrel  F.     While  rotating  it  with  the  handwheel 

G,  the  height  gage  1  is  slid  on  the  plate  U^  the  hardened  end  of  J  coming 
in  contact  with  the  forging  at  various  points.  So  long  as  the  height  gage 
will  not  pass  under  K  at  any  point,  the  forging  will  clean  up.  Should 
it  pass  under,  the  forging  is  condemned.  Having  passed  inspection,  the 
forgings  are  loaded  on  cars  and  shipped  to  the  machine  shop. 

BASE-PLATES  FOR  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


PIG.    202.        THIRD-OPERA- 
TION  PUNCH   AND    DIES 


Should  a  pipe  exist  in  one  of  the  original  blanks  made  from  either 
cast  bar-billets  or  rolled  bar-stock  it  is  almost  certain  to  be  in  the  forged 
blank.  With  ordinary  British  shrapnel  this  is  of  no  consequence,  as  the 
explosive  charge  is  contained  in  a  metal  receptacle — the  cup — and  there 
is  no  chance  of  the  flame  from  the  propulsive  charge  communicating  with 
it  by  way  of  a  pipe. 


248 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


With  the  explosive  shell  conditions  are  different.  The  hollow  body 
•of  the  shell  itself  acts  as  a  container  for  the  explosive  charge,  and  should 
there  be  a  pipe  in  the  shell  base,  there  is  immediate  connection  between 
the  propulsive  and  explosive  charges.  The  flame  from  the  propulsive 
charge  traversing  such  connection  would  detonate  the  explosive  charge 
and  cause  the  destruction  of  the  gun  and  probably  of  all  the  men  near  it. 

In  order  to  prevent  such  possible  disaster  the  high-explosive  shell  has 
a  bored  and  threaded  recess  in  the  center  of  the  base  on  the  outside,  to 
receive  a  base-plate  forged  from  flat  steel.  The  grain  of  the  metal  in 
the  base-plate  therefore  runs  at  right  angles  to  the  axis  of  the  shell.  The 
base-plate  is  accurately  machined  to  fit  the  threaded  hole,  is  screwed  and 
riveted  in  place,  and  finally  turned  flush  with  the  base  of  the  shell.  It 
thus  securely  seals  any  pipe  or  fissure,  should  one  exist,  and  prevents 
premature  explosion  of  the  charge  contained  in  the  shell. 

In  the  Turcot  shops  of  the  Canadian  Car  &  Foundry  Co.  the  blanks 
for  base-plate  for  4.5-  and  5-in.  high-explosive  shells  are  made  on  an 
Acme  forging  machine. 

The  stock  used  is  lX3-in.  cut  in  3-ft.  lengths,  which  weigh  about  27 
lb.     These  bars  are  heated  four  at  a  time  in  an  oil-fired  furnace. 


O 

i% 

H 

^■H^^ 

/C^ 

^mlL 

^ 

I^^^^^^^SE 

^^^ll^^toa. 

fc^^B 

i^^Mg 

^^        ^m 

\ 

I^H^^^WF^   ^ 

--^"^ 

1^ 

FIG.    203.       THE   WORK  DIES   AND   SCRAP 


The  Forging  Operation. — An  enlarged  view  of  the  dies,  work  and 
scrap  appear  in  Fig.  203.  The  die  A  is  fixed,  while  B  is  mounted  in  the 
movable  slide.  The  hot  bar  is  fed  down  past  the  blanking  die  C  secured 
to  the  face  of  A.  The  die  B  advances  until  it  strikes  the  face  of  A,  where 
it  dwells  till  the  advancing  punch,  not  shown,  blanks  a  disk  through  the 
hole  in  C,  pushes  it  along  the  tubular  opening  D,  and  squeezes  it  into  the 
form  E  at  the  end  of  the  stroke.  On  the  completion  of  the  stroke  the 
punch  and  the  die  B  recede  and  the  forged  base-plate  is  removed  with  a 


Chap.  II] 


CASTING  STEEL  FORGING  BLANKS 


249 


pair  of  tongs  from  the  die.     Two  men  can  forge  2,000  of  these  base-plate 
blanks  in  24  hr. 

The  forgings  as  they  come  from  the  machine  are  rather  rough  and 
would  average  as  shown  at  A,  Fig.  204.  The  fins  are  of  course  caused 
by  necessary  clearances  between  the  dies  and  the  punch.     These  fins  are 


FIG.    204.       THREE   STAGES   IN  THE   PRODUCTION   OP  BASE-PLATES 

then  readily  removed  in  a  bolt  cutter.  Two  men  can  remove  the  fins 
from  1,200  base-plates  in  24  hr.  The  work  then  appears  as  shown  at  B 
in  Fig.  204. 

Inspection  of  the  Work. — From  the  bolt  cutter  the  work  goes  to  the 
inspection  tables,  where  the  gages  shown  in  Figs.  205,  206  and  207  are 


c 


FIG. 


I  '%/cA 


T' 


J. 


-M 


- '2.ZS:--- 

205.      GAGE   FOR  FORGING 
THICKNESS 


- - -2.75"— -—-"-H 

FIG.    206.       GAGE   FOR  SHAPE   AND   SIZE 
OF   HEAD 


used.     The  captions  indicate  their  application  to  the  work,  therefore  no 
further  description  of  the  inspection  operation  is  necessary. 

Here  and  there  an  occasional  base-plate  fails  to  pass  the  visual  inspec- 
tion, the  principal  cause  being  scale  or  a  depression  in  the  center  of  the 
face.     Such  base  plates  are  restruck. 


250 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


Restriking  Imperfect  Work. — The  work  that  fails  to  pass  inspection 
is  heated  in  the  furnace  B,  Fig.  208.  The  operator  takes  the  hot  base- 
plate in  a  pair  of  tongs,  dips  it  for  an  instant  in  cold  water,  which  causes 


■-a625'> 


■3.5 


<0.625-> 


NOT  ENTER 


ENTER 


5.56? 


FIG.    207.       GAGE   USED   FOR  DIAMETER   OF   THE   FORGING 

the  scale  to  break  and  fall  off,  and  places  it  with  the  shank  in  the  square 
hole  in  the  die  A.  His  helper  holds  the  die  between  the  members  C 
and  D  with  the  face  of  the  work  toward  the  moving  member  C  When 
the  machine  is  tripped  C  strikes  the  face  of  work  and  the  rear  end  of  the 


FIG.    208.       RESTRIKING  DIE   AND  BULLDOZER 


die  A  brings  up  against  the  metal  blocking  D.  The  work  comes  from  the 
restriking  die  as  shown  at  C,  Fig.  204,  practically  without  scale,  and  as 
there  are  no  joints  or  fissures  in  the  die  there  are  no  fins  to  be  removed. 


CHAPTER  III 

MANUFACTURING    BRITISH     18-POUNDER    HIGH-EXPLOSIVE 

SHELLS^ 

The  Dominion  Bridge  Co.,  Ltd.,  Montreal,  Canada,  undertook,  in 
addition  to  their  activities  in  turning  out  18-lb.  British  shrapnel,  to  pro- 
duce 4,000  18-lb.  high-explosive  shells  per  day.  The  newer  work  was 
kept  entirely  separate,  for  though  similar  it  was  by  no  means  identical. 

A  special  shop  for  housing  the  equipment  required  for  the  manufac- 
ture of  high-explosive  shells  (see  Table  1)  was  constructed  according  to 
the  plan  shown  in  Fig.  209.  This  arrangement  permits  the  rough  blanks 
to  enter  the  shop  at  one  end  (the  left)  and,  with  practically  no  back- 
tracking, to  leave  in  the  form  of  finished  and  accepted  shells  at  the  other. 

The  rough  blanks,  as  received  at  the  steel  shop,  measure  3J^  in.  in 
diameter  by  9%  in.  in  length  and  possess  the  following  physical  and 
chemical  characteristics:  tensile  strength,  78,400  to  87,360  lb.;  yield 
point,  at  least  42,500  lb.;  elongation,  20  per  cent.;  carbon  content,  0.45 
to  0.55  per  cent.;  nickel,  under  0.50;  manganese,  between  0.4  and  LO; 
sulphur  and  phosphorus,  under  0.05  per  cent. 

In  their  passage  through  the  shell  shop,  the  blanks  are  subjected  to 
some  40  main  operations — see  sequence  of  operations  and  descriptive 
sketches. 

SEQUENCE  OF  OPERATIONS 

1.  Removing  burrs  from  blanks. 

2.  Rough-drilling  blanks. 

3.  Centering  base. 

4.  Rough-turning  body. 

5.  Rough-turning  nose. 

6.  Facing  and  squaring  base. 

7.  Facing  to  length. 

8.  Boring,  reaming,  recessing  at  end  of  thread  and  checking  outside. 

9.  Mill-threading  shell  nose. 

10.  Finish-turning  body. 

11.  Weighing  shells. 

12.  Facing  to  correct  weight. 

13.  Turning  riveting  face  angle  on  base  of  shell. 

14.  Rough-turning  band  groove  and  rounding  edge  of  base. 

15.  Undercutting  and  waving  band  groove. 

16.  Recessing  bottom  of  shell  for  base-plate. 

17.  Drilling  fixing-screw  hole. 

18.  Tapping  fixing-screw  hole. 

^  E.  A.  Suverkrop,  Associate  Editor,  American  Machinist, 

251 


252 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


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2% 

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111^ 


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ill 


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yoNjg^  Is    sl  la    al  la    al  la    al  I?" 


Is    s 


iMlill     .ll|iH_ll«QD!/ 

ll 


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1          _       XJlOiVAVl       ^ 

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«» 

Chap.  Ill]  BRITISH  18-POUNDER  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


253 


Table  1.    Layout  of  Work;  Make  and  Capacity  of  Machines 


Operation 


Number 
of   Ma- 
chines in 
Opera- 
tion 


Size  and  Name  of  Machine 


Capacity 
per  Machine 


Per 
Hr. 


Per 

22-Hr. 

Day 


Total 
Capacity 
in  Shells 


Drill. 


Center 

Rough  turn. 

Rough  nose. 


Face  base 

Face  to  length . 

Bore  and  ream 


Thread  nose . 


Finish  turn 


Face  to  weight 

Round  corner,  groove. 
Wave  and  undercut. . . 


Recess  base. 


File  base  to  gage . 


Mill  base  thread 

Drill  >^  hole  in  nose 

Tap  Mhole 

Marking ! 

Saw-off    square   on  base- 
plate  I 

Rough  face  base-plate | 

Rivet  base-plate I 

Finish  face  base-plate . . 

Band  press 


Band  turn. 


Threading  base-plates. 
Turn  base-plates. . . . . 


3 

10 
3 

10 
2 
6 
1 
4 
3 
12 
4 
6 
2 
8 
4 
1 
1 
1 
3 
6 
6 
9 
2 
2 
4 
2 
2 
1 
1 
6 
1 
3 
2 

6 
6 
2 

7 
1 
1 
2 
1 
1 
8 
4 


2-spindle  Bertram  . .  .  . 
Dom.  bridge  drills .  .  .  . 

Herbert  drills 

24X10  C.M.C.  lathes. 

18X8  Mueller 

24X10  C.M.C 

18X8  McDougall 

20X6  Gardner 

20X6  Gardner 

3X36  J.  &L 

3X36  Acme 

2X24  J.  &L 

2X26  P.  &  W 

Thread  millers 

18X8  C.M.C 

18X8  Walcott 

16X6  American 

16X6  Champion 

18X8  Mueller 

20X6  Gardner 

20X6  Gardner 

20X8  Gardner 

2X24  J.  &L 

18X8  Mueller 

20X10  C.M.C 

16X6  Gardner 

16X6  Prentiss 

16X6  Flather 

16X8Twink 

Thread  millers 

4-spindle  drill 

Herbert  drills 

London  air  markers. . . 


Racine  hacksaws 

20X6  Gardner 

High  speed  hammers .... 

20X6  Gardner 

6-cylinder  Lymburner . . . 

West  Tyre  Co 

20X8  C.M.C 

18X12  L.  &S 

Jenckes 

Automatic  (Bridgeport) . 
16X6  S.  Bend 


12 
15 
65 
20 
23 
23 
23 
48 
30 

9 

25 

20 


35 
35 

21 

25 


35 

36 
200 

80 
125 

25 

35 

100 

30 

120 

50 

10 
75 


264 
345 

1,430 
440 
506 
506 
506 

1,056 
660 


198 
550 

440 


770 
770 
462 

550 


770 


790 
4,400 
l,7oO 
2,750 

550 
770 

2,200 
660 

2,640 


1,100 

220 
1,720 


792 
3,450 
4,290 
4,400 

4,554 

4,224 


4,752 
4,400 

4,400 


4,620 
4,620 
4,150 

4,400 


4,620 


4,740 
4,400 
5,280 


3,300 
4,620 
4,400 
4,620 
5,280 


4,400 

1,760 
4,300 


In  addition  to  the  lathes  there  are  on  shell  work,  exclusive  of  the  toolroom  1 
London  18X12;  1  C.M.C.  20X8;  1  C.M.C.  18X8;  1  J.  &  L.  2X24;  1  C.M.C.  20X8; 
1  Gardner  20X6. 


254 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


19.  Sorting  shells  by  heat  numbers. 

20.  Marking  shells. 

21.  First  general  shop  inspection  and  hospital  work. 

22.  Drop-forging  base-plates. 

23.  Rough-turning  base-plates. 

24.  Finish-turning  base-plates. 

25.  FiUng  nicks  in  edge  of  base-plates. 

26.  AssembUng  base-plate jn  shell  base. 

27.  Driving-in  base-plates. 

28.  Riveting  base-plate. 

29.  Sawing-ofif  square  base-plate  stems. 

30.  Facing  base-plate  and  base. 

31.  Pressing-on  copper  band. 

32.  Turning  copper  band. 

33.  Varnishing. 

34.  Baking  varnish. 

35.  Cleaning-off  varnish  from  outside  of  shell. 

36.  Hand-tapping  fuse  hole. 

37.  Painting  with  priming  coat. 

38.  Finish  painting. 

39.  Luting  and  screwing  in  plugs  and  fixing  screws  and  painting  plug. 

40.  Packing  and  shipping. 


OPERATION     1.       REMOVE     BURRS     FROM     BLANKS 

Machine  Used — Dry  grinder. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Wide  rest  A  set  in  line  with  the  wheel  center. 

Gages — None. 

Production — One  man  and  one  machine,  300  per  hr. 


Chap.  Ill] 


BRITISH  18-POUNDER  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


255 


OPEKATION    2.      ROUGH    DRILL 

Machines  Used — Foote-Burt  vertical  drilling  machines.  Dominion  Bridge 
Co.'s  air-feed  horizontal  drilling  machines. 

Bertram  two-spindle  horizontal  drilling  machines. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Chuck  like  A  or  vise  with  R-  and  L-screw  operated 
jaws  for  the  vertical  machines.  Centering  jig  B.  Drill  setting  block  C.  li%6  in. 
twist  drill  D.     For  horizontal  machines  l^^e  in.  hogging  drill  is  used. 

Gages — Diameter  gage  E.     Base  thickness  gage  F. 

Production — One  man  and  2  vertical  machines,  10  per  hr.  One  man  and  one 
horizontal  machine,  15  per  hr. 

Note — Drilling  compound  used  as  lubricant. 


OPERATION  3.   CENTER  THE  BASE  END  OF  THE  BLANK 

Machines  Used — Herbert  sensitive  drilUng  machines. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Centering  jig  A.     Combination  center  drill  B. 

Gages — Wing  caliper  gage  to  test  if  stock  will  clean  up. 

Production — One  machine  and  one  boy,  65  per  hr. 


256 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


OPERATION    4.      ROUGH    TURN 

Machines  Used— 18-  and  24-in.  engine  lathes. 
Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Plug  center  A. 
Gages — High  and  low  limit  snap  gages  B  and  C. 
Production — One  man  and  one  machine,  20  per  hr. 
Note — Cutting  compound  used. 


Graduated  ^^ 

Both  5iole5,<^^^ 


^V 


X 


W    Fd 


OPERATION  5.   ROUGH  TURN  THE  NOSE 

Machines  Used — 18-  and  24-in.  engine  lathes. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Former  and  roller  A.     Plug  center  B. 

Gages — Profile  gage  C.     Over-all  length  gage  D. 

Production — One  machine  and  one  man,  23  per  hr. 

Note — Cutting  compound  used. 


Chap.  Ill]  BRITISH  18-POUNDER  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


257 


OPERATION  6.   FACE  THE  BASE  SQUARE  WITH  THE  BODY 

Machines  Used — 20  in.  by  6  ft.  engine  lathes. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Heavy  combination  chuck  A;  roughing  tool  B. 

Gages — ^Length  gage  D,  square  C. 

Production — One  man  and  one  machine,  48  pieces  per  hour. 

Note — Cutting  compound  used. 


OPERATION     7.      FACE     TO     LENGTH 

Machines  Used — 20  in.  by  6  ft.  engine  lathes. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Heavy  combination  chuck   A;  roughing  tool  B; 
stop  D. 

Gage — ^Length  gage  C. 

Production — One  man  and  one  machine,  30  per  hour. 
Note — Cutting  compound  used. 
17 


258 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


Gage  l,InsideDiam. and  Bottom  Radius 


|< 2.425-— -->] 


^■^^0.378' 


0.0615' 


3^ 

TT 


^ -  z:535-—>\ 

K 2.325'- >\ 


■5.6Z5 


Gage  K,Dio,m.and  Angle    Cage^gGage 
of  End  of  Shell         for  threading  Size  of 


0.bl5 


^m 


.^^^Lms'"-'-'^5'm4^. 


^'0.048' 


0.048"'' 


<—t"  - 


Fuse  Hole 


i^r^.^ 


>!?«? 


a: 


<-IJS--y      ^ 


"•L       ^ 
.0.048'^      T' 

^h(?./.'  ^      i 


\  U  ^i?f;'  'H  6o>qeL, Thickness  of  Base 
7    r^^iitf    n  at  Completion  of  Eighth 


Operation 


6ag.  J.  Fu.e-Ho,e  Re«ss    cHll^^^^^nW  st M 


Chap.  Ill]  BRITISH  18-POUNDER  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


259 


OPERATION   8.      BORE,    REAM,    RECESS   AT  END   OF  THREAD,    AND   CHECK   OUTSIDE 

Machines  Used — 3X36  Jones  &  Lamson  flat  turret  lathes. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Twist  drill  and  holder  A;  roughing  reamer  B;  beveling 
tool  C;  undercutting  tool  D;  outside  checking^  tool  E;  finish  reaming  and  bottom 
forming  tool  F;  sizing  reamer  G  for  thread  space. 

Gages — Gage  H  for  length;  gage  I  for  inside  diameter  and  bottom  rad;  gage  J, 
fuse  hole  recess;  gage  K,  diameter  and  angle  of  end  of  shell;  gage  L,  thickness  of  base; 
gage  M,  depth  of  check  on  end  of  shell;  gage  N,  plug  gage  for  threading  size  of  inside 
of  nose. 

Production. — One  man  operating  one  machine,  average  10  shells  per  hour. 

Note — Cutting  compound  used. 


OPERATION  9.      MILLING  THE   INTERNAL  THREAD  IN  THE   SHELL  NOSE 

Machines  Used — Holden-Morgan  thread  millers. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — None. 

Gage — Plug  thread  gage  A. 

Production — One  man  and  one  machine,  25  noses  threaded  per  hour. 

Note — Cutting  compound  used. 


260 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


J4- Threads  k^?/??'y  -''t< 

WhifmrfhS'fd'.      Xi^^^^      Oraduafe  both  Sides^s  ^ 


V 


Tool  Sfeel-Cenfer  for 
finish-turning  Shells 


IfX 


/, 


-€^ 


Profile   of  Head 


OPERATION    10.      FINISH    TURNING    THE    SHELL   BODY 

Machines  Used — Engine  lathes,  16  and  18  in.  swing. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Plug  driver  A;  female  driver  B  attached  to  small 
faceplate;  former  and  roller  C  at  the  back  of  the  lathe. 

Gages — High  and  low  body  diameter  gages  D  and  E;  profile  of  head  F. 
Production — One  man  and  one  machine,  20  per  hour. 
Note — Cutting  compound  used. 


OPERATION    11.       WEIGHING   THE    SHELLS 

Machine  Used — Ordinary  weighing  scales. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — None. 

Gages — None. 

Production — One  man  and  one  set  of  scales  can  weigh  about  100  shells  per  hour. 

Note — About  10  per  cent,  of  the  shells  are  correct  weight. 


Chap.  Ill]  BRITISH  18-PGUNDER  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


261 


15  Lb 

lOi. 

Dr. 


OPERATION 


FACE   TO   CORRECT   WEIGHT 


Machines  Used — 20-in.  engine  lathes  without  tailstocks. 
Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Combination  chuck  A;  facing  tool  B. 
Gages — The  scales  act  as  gages  for  this  operation. 
Production — One  man  and  one  machine,  35  shells  per  hour. 


Gage  D,  Angle  and 
^    /      Wiamefer  of  riveting 
.->|  Angle 


OPERATION    13.      TURN   THE   RIVETING   FACE   ANGLE   ON  THE  BASE   OF  THE   SHELL 

Machine  Used — 20-in.  engine  lathes  without  tailstocks. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Combination  chuck  A;  compensating  gage  B;  angular 
tool  C. 

Gage — Angle  gage  D. 

Production — One  man  and  one  machine,  50  shells  per  hour. 

Note — Cutting  compound  used. 


262 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


ToolE 


¥1_ 
Gaae  H        '  Gage  I, Diameter  Rough-Oriving 

Distance  from  Base  &«nd  Groove 

to  Driving-Band  Groove 

Gage  G,  Roogh-Driving  Band  Width 

OPERATION  14.   ROUGH  TURN  DRIVING  BAND  GROOVE  AND  ROUND  EDGE  OF  BASE 

Machines  Used — 20-in.  engine  lathes  without  tailstocks. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Combination  chuck  A;  fixture  on  saddle  holding 
the  stop  B  and  rollers  C;  cross-slide  carrying  the  grooving  tool  E  and  edge -rounding 
tool  F. 

Gages — Rough  driving  band  groove  gage  G;  distance  from  base  of  driving  band, 
gage  H;  gage  for  diameter  of  driving  band  groove  I. 

Production — One  man  and  one  machine,  35  shells  per  hour. 

Note — Cutting  compound  used. 


Chap.  Ill]  BRITISH  18-POUNDER  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


263 


OPERATION    15.       UNDERCUTTING    AND    WAVING 

Machines  Used — 20-in.  by  8-ft.  engine  lathes. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Universal  chuck  A.  Waving  cam  B.  Under- 
cutting attachment  C.     Waving  attachment  D. 

Gages — High  and  low  snap  gages  E  and  F.  Gage  G,  distance  from  base  to 
driving-band  groove.     Gage  H,  width  of  driving-band  groove. 

Production — One  man  and  one  machine,  21  per  hr. 

Note — Cutting  compound  used. 


264 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


51 


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115  ^ 


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Gage  E.Thickness  of  Base 

at  Completion  of  Eighth 

Operation 

OPERATION  16.       RECESSING  BOTTOM  OF  SHELL  FOR  THE  BASE  PLATE 

Machines  Used — Jones  &  Lamson  2X24  jflat-turret  lathes. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Jones  &  Lamson  collet  chuck  A.  Stop  B.  Recess 
roughing  tool  C.     Finish-boring  and  facing  tool  D. 

Gages — Gage  E,  thickness  of  base.  Gage  F,  diameter  of  recess.  Gage  G, 
flatness  of  bottom  of  recess. 

Production — One  man  and  one  machine,  25  per  hr. 

Note — Cutting  compound  used. 


Chap.  Ill]  BRITISH  18-POUNDER  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


265 


^>s=ii    ss  r 


OPERATION    17.      DRILLING    FIXING-SCREW    HOLE 

Machines  Used — Sensitive  drilling  machines. 
Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Drill  jig  A. 
Gages — Distance  of  fixing  screw  from  top,  gage  B. 
Production — One  boy  and  one  machine,  50  per  hr. 
Note — Drilling  compound  used. 


OPERATION     18.       TAPPING    THE     FEXING-SCREW    HOLE 

Machines  Used — Sensitive  drilling  machines. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Jig  A.     Tapping  attachment  B.     }i-m.  tap  C. 

Gages — None. 

Production — One  boy  and  one  machine,  80  holes  per  hr. 

Note — Oil  used  as  lubricant. 


266 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


OPERATION    19.       SORTING    SHELLS    BY    HEAT    NUMBER 

Machines  Used — None. 

Special  Arrangements — Tote  boxes  and  trucks.     The  floor  A  is  divided  into 
squares  marked  with  current  heat  numbers  as  shown. 
Gages — None. 
Note — 14  series  of  250  shells  in  10  hr.  by  8  men. 


OPERATION    20.       MARKING    THE    SHELLS 

Machines  Used — ^London  air  marker  A. 

Special  appUances — Font  of  steel  type  B. 

Gages — None. 

Production — Two  men  and  one  machine,  125  per  hr. 


Chap.  Ill]  BRITISH  18-POUNIDER  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  267 


OPERATION    21.      FIRST    GENERAL    SHOP    INSPECTION    AND    HOSPITAL    WORK 

Machines  Used — ^Lathes  for  filing  off  marking  burrs  and  reaming  noses  of  damaged 
shells. 

Special  Appliances — Tanks  for  hot  caustic  soda  and  for  hot  water. 

Gages — All  gages  that  have  been  used  in  the  operations  which  have  preceded  this 
operation. 

Production — 8  inspectors  and  4  men  in  the  hospital  gang  put  through  350  shells 
per  hr. 


FnhrOhkl^ness)      Noi  Ehhr(Thickn€ss) 


j^^,,^-iL 


OPERATION  22.      DROP-FORGING  BASE   PLATES 

Machines  Used — Billings  &  Spencer  and  Bliss  drop  hammers. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Oil  furnaces,  trimming  press  and  dies. 

Gages — Diameter  and  thickness  gages  A  and  B. 

Production — One  man,  one  furnace  and  one  hammer,  110  pieces  per  hour. 


OPERATION    23.      ROUGH-TURNING    BASE    PLATES 

Machines  Used — 16-in.  engine  lathes. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Socket  driver  A;  disk  center  B;  turning  tool  C. 

Gages — Snap  gage  D. 

Production — One  man  and  one  lathe,  175  to  200  per  hour. 


268 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


OPERATION    24.      FINISH-TURNING    BASE     PLATES 

Machines  Used — Engine  lathes. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Draw-in  collet  A;  facing  tool  B;  formed  tool  C;  for 
the  engine  lathes  the  special  stop  D  and  turning  tool  Bl, 
Gages — Snap  gage  E;  angle  gage  F;  height  gage  G. 
Production — One  man  and  one  machine,  75  per  hour. 


OPERATION  25.      FILE  NICKS  IN  EDGE  OP  BASE  PLATE 

Machines  Used — None. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Machinist's  vise  A;  half-round  file  B.     Hand  opera- 


tion. 


Gages — None. 

Production — One  man,  vise  and  file,  60  per  hour. 


Chap.  Ill]  BRITISH  18-POUNDER  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


269 


OPERATION    26.      ASSEMBLE    BASE    PLATE    IN    SHELL    BASE 

Machines  Used — None. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — None;  hand  hammer  only  used  to  enter  the  plates  in 
the  shell. 

Gages — None. 

Production — One  man,  about  200  per  hour. 

Note — No  Pettman  cement  used  with  this  type  of  base  plate. 


OPERATION  27.       DRIVE  IN  THE  BASE   PLATES 

Machines  Used — Murphy  pneumatic  riveters. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Tilting  post  A;  hollow  punch  B  to  clear  the  shank  of 
the  base  plate. 

Gages — None;  the  hand  hammer  is  used  to  test  the  work. 
Production — Two  men  and  one  machine,  200  per  hour. 


270 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


OPERATION  28.      RIVET  BASE   PLATE 

Machines  Used — High-speed  hammers. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Slide  and  post  A. 

Gages — None;  the  hand  hammer  is  used  to  test  the  work. 

Production — One  man  and  one  machine,  30  per  hour. 


OPERATION   29.      SAW   OFF   SQUARE   STEMS 

Machines  Used — Racine  power  hacksawing  machines. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — None. 

Gages — None;  the  boy  operator  works  as  close  to  the  shell  base  as  he  can. 

Production — One  boy  and  two  machines,  120  per  hour. 


Chap.  Ill]  BRITISH  18-POUNDER  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  271 


OPERATION  30.   FACE  THE  BASE  PLATE  AND  BASE 

Machines  Used — Engine  lathes  20  in.  by  6  ft. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Combination  chuck  A;  facing  tool  B. 

Gages — None. 

Production — One  man  and  one  machine,  30  per  hour. 


OPERATION    31.      BANDING 

Machines  Used — Triple-cylinder  hydraulic  pumps;  accumulator;  banding  press  A. 

Fixtures  and  Tools — Bench  B;  hand  hammer  C. 

Gages — None.     The  hand-hammer  test  is  used  on  the  bands. 

Production — From  one  banding  press  and  three  men,  330  per  hr. 


272 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


J  K 

OPERATION  32.   TURN  COPPER  BAND 

Machines  Used — ^Lathes. 

Tools  and  Fixtures — Special  collet  chuck;  cup  center  for  tail-stock;  formed  tool 
A;  scraper  rest  B;  scraper  C. 

Gages — Gage  D  from  rib  to  base;  E,  form  of  driving  band;  F,  outside  diameter  of 
driving  band;  high  and  low  gages  G  and  H  for  rib;  ring  gage  I,  base  of  shell;  low  snap 
gage  J  for  driving  band;  K  and  L,  high  and  low  for  groove  in  driving  band. 

Production — One  machine  and  one  man,  110  per  hr. 

Note — Soluble  oil  and  water  used  as  lubricant. 


Chap,  III]  BRITISH  18-POUNDER  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  273 


OPERATION    33.      VARNISHING 

Machines  Used — Bowser  tank  A. 

Special  Appliances — Draining  screen  B;  thread-protecting  bushings  C;  bushing 
wrench  D. 

Gages — None. 

Production — Five  men  can  screw  in  bushings  and  varnish  3,000  shells  in  10  hr. 

Note — Shells  drain  on  B  for  IQ  min. 


OPERATION    33.       (alternative    a)  I    VARNISHING 

Machines  Used — None. 

Appliances — Varnish  pot  A;  special  long-h?indled  brush  B;  sheet^te^l  slip  bushing 
C,  to  protect  the  fuse-hole  threads. 
Gages — None. 

Production — One  man,  100  per  hr. 
18 


274 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sbc.  II 


OPERATION    33.       (alternative    b)  :    VARNISHING 

Machine  Used — Varnish-spraying  machine. 

Special  AppHances — None. 

Production — One  man,  one  machine  and  two  helpers,  250  per  hr. 


OPERATION  33.       (alternative  c)  I  VARNISHING 

Machines  Used — Hand-operated  atomizer  A  connected  to  shop  air  service. 
Special  Appliances — Roller  shell  support  B;  gloves  for  handling  the  hot  shells. 
Production — One  man  and  one  atomizer,  100  per  hr. 


Chap.  Ill]  BRITISH  18-POUNDER  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  275 


OPERATION    34.      BAKING    THE    VARNISH 

•      Machines  Used — None, 

Special  Appliances — Two  furnaces  A  holding  two  and  four  trays  B  respectively; 
thermometer;  clock;  trucks  C» 

Production — With  both  furnaces,  200  per  hr. 


OPERATION    35.      CLEANING    VARNISH    OFF     OUTSIDES 


Machines  Used — None. 

Appliances  Used — Benches;  scrapers;  waste;  bushing  wrench. 

Production — One  man,  25  shells  per  hr. 


276 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


U 5" -^-■^^^•0.31^ 

OPERATION  36.       HAND   TAPPING   THE   FUSE   HOLE   TO   FINISHED   SIZE 

Machines  Used — None. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Hinged  vise  A;  adjustable  tap  B;  tap  wrench  C. 
Gages — High  and  low  plug  gage  with  angular  seat  on  one  end. 
Production — One  man,  30  per  hr. 


OPERATION    37.      PAINTING    THE    PRIMING    COAT 

Machines  Used — Motor-driven  turntables  A. 

Tools  and  Accessories — Benches  and  drying  cupboards;  flat  paint  brush  B;  paint 
pot  of  white  paint  C. 
Gages — None. 
Production — Six  boys,  15  series  (2,750  shells)  in  10  hr. 


Chap.  Ill]  BRITISH  18-POUNDER  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  277 


w^^^■^^^m^\w^w<^v^^  swvwvxwmvVVK^V'^w^Kvwv'v'^v^w'^vw^ 


P" MinnMiininMimnii.MMiumMii^,!) 

OPERATION  38.       FINISHING  COAT  AND  GREEN  BAND 

Machines  Used — The  same  as  in  operation  37. 

Tools  and  Accessories — The  same  as  in  operation  37,  except  that  the  paint  for  the 
body  is  yellow  and  for  the  band  green.     A  narrow  brush  is  used  for  the  band. 
Gages — Gage  A  for  position  of  the  green  band;  ring  gage  B  over  painted  body. 
Production — Eight  boys,  15  series  (2,750  shells)  in  10  hr. 


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OPERATION  39.      LUTE  AND  SCREW  IN  PLUGS  AND  FIXING  SCREWS  AND  PAINT  THE  PLUG 

Machines  Used — None. 

Tools  and  Accessories — Square-end  wrench  A;  screwdriver  B;  luting  and  yellow 
paint;  paint  brush;  luting  brush. 
Gages — None. 
Production — See  operation  40,  as  this,  is  a  part  of  that  operation. 


278 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


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OPERATION   40.       PACK   AND   SHIP 

Machines  Used — None. 

Tools  and  Accessories — Cases  holding  six  shells  each;  screw-driver. 

Gages — None. 

Production — Twenty  men  can  screw  in  plugs  and  fixing  screws,  paint  tops  of  plugs, 
put  in  cases  3,220  shells  and  screw  down  the  case  lids  ready  for  shipping.  This  work 
is  under  the  supervision  of  a  man  from  the  Canadian  Inspection  Co. 

A  modij&cation  in  the  usual  construction  of  the  shell  was  here  inaugu- 
rated which  greatly  simpHfied  manufacture  and  stimulated  production. 
The  base  plate,  instead  of  being  threaded  and  screwed  into  the  base  was 
made  with  a  beveled  edge  and  simply  inserted  into  a  plain  cylindrical 
blind  hole  in  the  base.  Here  it  is  firmly  riveted  in  place  with  the  riveting 
flange  left  on  the  base  for  that  purpose.  This  practice  necessitated 
slight  alterations  in  dimensions  worked  to  during  certain  operations 
(noted  in  the  table  in  Fig.  210)  but  the  finished  shell  differs  in  no  respect 
as  to  weight,  dimensions,  etc. 

The  first  operation  on  the  shell  blanks,  which  are  cut  to  length  before 
they  are  received  at  the  shell  shop,  consists  in  grinding  off  the  burr  left 
by  the  cold-saws.  This  is  removed,  as  it  might  prevent  the  blank  from 
centering  properly  in  the  chucks  in  the  first  machining  operation.  For 
this  work  an  ordinary  dry-grinder  is  used  with  a  wide  rest  for  the  work,  as 
shown  in  operation  1.  A  man  can  remove  the  burrs  from  about  300 
blanks  per  hour. 

The  drilling  operation,  which  follows,  is,  from  the  viewpoint  of  time 
consumed,  the  most  important  of  the  machining  operations.  Three 
different  makes  of  machines  are  used  for  this  operation.  There  are 
nine  24-in.  and  eleven  25-in.  Foote-Burt  heavy-duty  drilling  machines, 
three  2-spindle  Bertram  horizontal  drilling  machines  and  sixteen  Domin- 
ion Bridge  Co.'s  air-feed  horizontal  drilling  machines. 

Two  Foote-Burt  drilling  machines  are  attended  by  one  operator. 
Their  nominal  output  is  5  pieces  per  machine  per  hour.  A  man  can, 
however,  do  a  little  better  than  this,  but  in  many  of  the  shops  where 


Chap.  Ill]  BRITISH  18-PO UNDER  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


279 


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280  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  [Sec.  II 

these  machines  have  been  forced  there  has  been  more  or  less  trouble  with 
breakage,  so  it  has  been  found  more  economical  to  run  slower. 

The  Dominion  Bridge  Co.'s  air-feed  drill  is  a  recent  development. 
It  is  simple  and  rugged  in  construction,  drills  a  more  accurate  hole  than 
the  vertical  machine  in  about  a  third  of  the  time  and  costs  very  much 
less.  The  machine  is  shown  in  Fig.  211,  together  with  the  drill  used. 
The  air  cylinder  is  7  in.  in  diameter  and  is  supplied  with  air  at  90  lb.  per 
sq.  in.,  giving  a  total  pressure  of  about  3,500  lb.  on  the  piston  and  drill. 
The  piston  rod  is  4  in.  in  diameter  and  at  its  forward  end  is  secured  to 
the  sliding  saddle.  A  taper  reamed  socket  in  the  extreme  end  accommo- 
dates the  drill  shank.  The  drill  is  hollow,  and  lubricant  under  pressure 
is  admitted  to  it  through  a  connection  in  the  sliding  saddle.  The  main 
spindle  of  the  machine  is  6  in.  in  diameter.  At  the  forward  end  is  a 
heavy  combination  chuck  for  holding  the  work.  The  rim  of  the  face- 
plate that  carries  the  chuck  is  used  as  a  brake  drum,  the  band  of  the 
brake  being  controlled  by  a  conveniently  located  lever.  In  front  of 
the  rear  spindle  bearing  is  a  ball  thrust  bearing  to  take  the  drilling  pres- 
sure.    With  one  of  these  machines  a  man  can  drill  15  blanks  per  hour. 

After  the  blanks  are  drilled  the  work  is  inspected  for  diameter  of 
hole  and  thickness  of  base  by  one  of  the  four  inspectors  assigned  to  the 
drilling  department,  who  uses  the  gages  shown  in  the  second  operation. 
Work  that  passes  inspection  is  stamped  by  the  inspector  as  indicated 
in  the  operation.  The  checker  now  credits  the  driller  with  the  number 
of  pieces  drilled,  the  truck  gang  is  notified  and  the  work  loaded  on  trucks 
and  transferred  to  the  next  operation. 

The  next  operation  is  centering.  The  center  must  conform  as  nearly 
as  possible  with  the  axis  of  the  hole,  not  the  outside  of  the  piece.  The 
details  of  the  jig  are  shown  in  Fig.  212.  The  work  is  slipped  over  the 
vertical  post,  the  jig  closed  and  locked. 

By  referring  to  Fig.  212  it  will  be  seen  that  the  weight  of  the  piece 
and  the  drill  pressure  throw  three  radial  locking  pieces  which  prevent  the 
piece  from  turning.  At  the  top  of  the  center  post  is  the  wedge-like 
plunger  A.  A  helical  spring  normally  keeps  it  up  in  the  position  shown. 
Three  radial  jaws  B  are  disposed  120  deg.  from  each  other  around  the 
conical  part  of  the  plunger  A.  When  the  drilled  blank  is  placed  over  the 
post  it  forces  the  plunger  downward,  and  it  in  turn  forces  the  three 
radial  jaws  outward.  These  simultaneously  center  the  work  with  rela- 
tion to  the  hole,  grip  it  and  prevent  it  from  turning  during  the  centering 
operation.  The  scheduled  time  on  this  operation  for  a  boy  is  65  blanks 
centered  per  hour,  but  this  operation  has  been  done  at  the  rate  of  over 
81  blanks  per  hour  for  a  period  of  10.5  hr. 

After  centering,  the  work  is  again  inspected  to  see  that  there  is  enough 
metal  all  around  for  the  shell  to  clean  up  properly  in  the  subsequent 
operations.     The  inspection  gage  is  a  set  wing  gage  with  a  ball  point. 


Chap.  Ill]  BRITISH  18-POUNDER  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


281 


282 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


The  checker  tallies  the  work,  after  which  the  truck  gang  collects  and 
distributes  it  to  the  machines  on  the  next  operation. 

The  next  operation,  rough  turning,  is  done  on  24-in.  by  10-ft.  engine 
lathes.  In  the  spindle  nose  there  is  a  plug  center  to  fit  the  hole  in  the 
shell  blank,  and  on  the  nose  a  driver  plate.  An  ordinary  lathe  dog  is 
tightened  on  the  open  end  of  the  shell  blank,  the  hole  in  the  blank  entered 
on  the  plug  center  and  the  center  in  the  base  entered  on  the  tail  center. 
The  tool  is  an  ordinary  roughing  tool;  the  cut  is  run  toward  the  headstock 
as  far  as  the  dog  will  permit.     The  operator  has  two  snap  gages  for  this 


iDrill 


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Tool  Steel 


FIG.    212.       DETAILS    OF   CENTERING 


operation.  They  are  3.330  for  the  high  and  3.320  for  the  low.  The 
scheduled  output  for  this  operation  is  20  pieces  per  hour.  However,  if 
the  steel  in  the  blanks  is  not  too  hard  and  the  tools  are  of  good  steel  and 
well-tempered,  a  man  can  average  28  pieces  per  hour. 

The  next  operation  is  roughing  the  nose.  This  work  is  done  on  18- 
and  20-in.  engine  lathes.  An  ordinary  lathe  dog  is  tightened  on  the  base 
end  of  the  blank.  The  live  spindle  carries  a  60-deg.  center  and  driver 
plate.  The  tail  spindle  carries  a  plug  center  with  a  thrust  collar  so  that 
it  will  turn  easily.  In  the  tool  post  there  is  an  ordinary  roughing  tool. 
The  crossfeed  of  the  tool  is  made  with  the  compound  slide.  The  length- 
wise feed  is  under  the  control  of  a  former  at  the  back  of  the  lathe. 

The  feed  of  the  lathe  for  this  operation  is  away  from  the  headstock. 
Two  cuts  are  taken  with  an  ordinary  roughing  tool.  The  first  one  starts 
at  the  point  where  the  roughing  cut  in  the  former  operation  left  off,  but 


Chap.  Ill]  BRITISH  18-POUNDER  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  283 

not  quite  to  the  same  depth.  The  second  cut  is  started  a  Uttle  way  back 
on  the  parallel  part  of  the  body  and  to  the  same  diameter  as  the  rough 
body  size.  The  scheduled  output  on  this  operation  is  23  per  hour,  but 
with  everything  going  right  a  man  can  get  out  28  pieces  per  hour. 

The  work  is  now  inspected  to  see  if  the  contour  of  the  nose  is  correct 
and  if  the  length  overall  is  right. 

For  the  sixth  operation  short,  heavy  engine  lathes  are  used.  These 
are  of  20-in.  swing  with  6-ft.  bed,  with  no  tailstock  and  are  equipped 
with  heavy  combination  chucks.  The  operation  just  cleans  up  the  base 
and  does  not  use  any  gage.  The  scheduled  output  for  this  operation  is 
48  pieces  per  hour. 

After  facing,  the  work  is  inspected  for  squareness  with  the  body  and 
also  for  length,  as  subsequent  operations,  if  not  actually  finishing  opera- 
tions, are  more  nearly  allied  to  finishing  operations.  It  therefore  becomes 
necessary  to  bring  the  blanks  to  uniform  length.  Those  blanks  which, 
with  the  base  squared,  are  of  the  correct  length,  pass  direct  to  the  boring 
and  reaming  operation.  Those  which  are  found  by  the  inspector  to  be 
too  long  are  checked  and  transferred  by  the  truck  gang  to  the  length- 
facing  operation. 

This  seventh  operation  is  done  on  lathes  of  the  same  size  and  make 
as  those  used  for  facing  the  base.  They  are  equipped  in  exactly  the 
same  manner,  except  that  they  have  a  stop  in  the  chuck  for  the  base  of 
the  blank. 

The  blank  is  chucked  with  the  base  against  the  stop  in  the  chuck. 
The  tool  is  an  ordinary  roughing  tool,  and  with  it  the  operator  takes  one 
or  more  cuts  to  remove  the  excess  of  metal  from  the  nose  of  the  blank. 
The  length  gage  is  the  only  gage  used.  This  operation  takes  a  little 
longer  than  the  previous  one,  and  30  pieces  per  hour  is  the  scheduled 
production. 

The  eighth  operation  is  the  first  of  the  finishing  operations  and 
consists  in  finishing  the  hole  to  diameter  and  depth,  cutting  the  annular 
recess  at  the  rear  of  the  location  for  the  nose  thread,  turning  the  check 
on  the  outside  of  the  end  and  finishing  the  angle  on  the  inside  of  the  nose. 

This  is  one  of  the  jobs  on  which  the  turret  lathe  has  been  retained,  and 
it  requires  altogether  seven  tools  and  five  turret  stations  for  completion. 

The  work  is  held  in  the  regular  Jones  &  Lamson  collet  chuck.  The 
first  tool  used  is  the  twist  drill.  The  size  of  this  drill  is  of  no  great  conse- 
quence; any  drill  about  J-^  in.  in  diameter  will  do,  as  its  work  consists 
merely  in  removing  the  metal  in  the  center  to  nearly  the  finished  depth 
of  the  hole.     The  drill  is  carried  in  an  ordinary  socket  in  the  turret. 

The  second  turret  station  carries  the  reamer  B,  shown  in  Fig.  213. 
It  is  in  reality  a  four-fluted  roughing  reamer  that  is  provided  with  one 
pair  of  end-cutting  lips  to  remove  the  metal  at  the  end  of  the  hole  to  the 
depth  cleared  by  the  twist  drill. 


284 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


'  The  third  station  of  the  turret  carries  three  tools.  One  tool  turns 
the  bevel  on  the  inside  of  the  nose,  another  tool  cuts  the  recess  inside  the 
shell  at  the  point  which  will  later  be  the  extreme  end  of  the  thread  and 
the  third  tool  turns  the  check  on  the  outside  of  the  nose.  It  will  of 
course  be  understood  that  the  headstock  is  fed  over  for  these  cuts.  The 
fourth  station  of  the  turret  carries  the  finish-boring  tool  F,  shown  in 
Fig.  213.  This  tool  finishes  the  bore  and  faces  the  end  of  the  hole.  The 
fifth  station  carries  a  Pratt  &  Whitney  adjustable  reamer  that  finishes 
to  size  the  part  of  the  bore  which  later  will  be  threaded.  This  completes 
the  eighth  operation.  The  scheduled  time  is  10  pieces  per  hour.  When 
the  operator  removes  the  finished  work  from  the  chuck  he  inverts  it 
over  an  air  jet,  turns  the  air  on  and  blows  the  chips  out. 


^u— 1^^ 


•-.r,.Tfl||IM|||l||||||imi|||| 


Holder   for  Too!   F    >v^ 


Holder  for  Tool  B 

'-- if -4.-zi-J/1... 

Tool  D 

FIG.    213.       SOME    OF    THE    TOOLS    FOR   THE    FINISH-BORING    OPERATION 
ON    THE    TURRET   LATHE 


The  ninth  operation  is  threading  the  nose.  This  is  done  on  Holden- 
Morgan  thread-milling  machines.  In  the  eighth  operation  the  check 
on  the  outside  of  the  shell  was  finished  to  accurate  dimensions  and  con- 
centric with  the  bore,  so  this  is  taken  as  a  locating  point  for  the  forward 
end  of  the  shell.  The  spindle  of  the  thread-milling  machine  is  arranged 
so  that  it  clears  the  shell  contour  R,  as  shown  in  Fig.  214,  at  S  in  the  small 
broken  section.  A  plate  T  attached  to  the  forward  end  of  the  spindle 
S  and  acts  as  a  seat  for  the  checked  end  of  the  shell.  The  other  end  of  the 
shell  is  centered  by  the  conical  spindle  plug.  A,  of  the  machine.  This 
method  results  in  accurate  work  and  very  few  discards. 

The  exterior  of  the  spindle  of  the  machine,  with  the  exception  of  a 
short  section  about  midway  of  its  length,  is  a  plain  cylinder  without 
flanges,  so  that  it  is  free  to  slide  endwise  in  the  bearings  at  each  end  of  the 
main  head  of  the  machine.  About  midway  between  the  bearings  the 
spindle  has  an  external  thread.  This  thread  is  of  the  same  pitch  and 
"hand"  as  the  one  it  is  intended  to  mill  in  the  nose  (or  base  recess)  of  the 


Chap.  Ill]  BRITISH  18-POUNDER  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


285 


shell.  Between  the  bearmgs  is  a  half-nut  B,  which  is  fitted  to  a  slot 
running  from  front  to  back  of  the  machine  at  right  angles  to  the  axis  of 
the  spindle,  so  that  it  has  no  side-play  in  relation  to  the  head,  that  is 
to  say,  in  line  with  the  spindle  axis. 

This  half -nut  B  is  hinged  at  the  back;  at  the  front  there  are  a  swing- 
bolt  and  a  nut  C  to  clamp  it  in  operation  position  in  mesh  with  the  thread 
K,  Fig.  214,  when  it  is  desired  to  cut  a  thread. 

The  hob  D  consists  of  what  is  virtually  a  stack  of  disks  of  the  shape 
of  the  standard  Whitworth  thread  14  pitch.  In  other  words,  it  is  a  Whit- 
worth  screw  without  lead.     In  appearance,  with  the  exception  of  having 


^'  Rear  Bearing  ^ 

^\^mrm 

FIG.    214.      SPINDLE    OF   NOSE-THREAD   MILLER 


Forward 
Bearing 


no  lead,  it  is  just  like  an  ordinary  hob,  is  fluted  and  has  cutting  clearance; 
in  some  cases,  to  afford  extra  chip  space,  it  is  provided  with  the  type  of 
teeth  used  on  the  Eccles  tap.  In  length  it  is  a  thread  or  two  greater 
than  the  length  of  the  female  screw  it  is  to  cut.  It  is  mounted  on  a 
carriage,  which  affords  it  lengthwise  motion  to  permit  it  to  be  moved  in 
and  out  of  the  hole  in  the  nose,  crossfeed  to  obtain  the  correct  depth  of 
thread,  and  clamps  so  that  when  located  in  cutting  position  it  can  be 
rigidly  held .  The  scheduled  time  for  threading  is  25  pieces  per  hour,  but 
as  high  as  29  have  been  done. 

The  tenth  operation  is  finish  turning  and  it  is  done  on  engine  lathes 
of  16-  and  18-in.  swing,  with 6-  and  8-ft.  beds  respectively.  The  threaded 
plug  and  driver  A,  shown  in  detail  for  the  tenth  operation,  is  screwed  into 
the  nose  of  the  shell.  Secured  to  the  driver  plate  of  the  lathe  is  the  slotted 
female  driver  B,  which  receives  the  flattened  end  of  the  driver  A .  The 
base  end  of  the  shell  is  supported  on  the  tail  center.     At  the  back  of  the 


286 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


lathe  is  a  former  similar  to  the  one  used  in  tha  fifth  operation  for  rough 
turning  the  nose;  but  in  this  case  the  former  is  the  full  length  of  the  work, 
and  its  nose  end  is  toward  the  headstock.  Each  operator  is  supplied  with 
several  of  the  male  drivers  A  and  also  with  a  vise,  as  shown  in  Fig.  215, 
to  hold  the  shells  while  inserting  and  removing  the  drivers.  As  the  cut 
is  a  comparatively  long  one  the  operator  has  ample  time  during  the  cut 
to  place  and  remove  the  drivers  from  the  work.  Here,  as  in  the  roughing 
operation  on  the  nose,  the  tool  is  fed  to  depth  by  the  compound  slide. 


I<  vv 


//"T" 


4 


4Seiscrew 


Hole  for  2,  f  Turned 


■i" 


I  Pins,  7-kLong 

<^Sehc/yw 


\^l''^--B^"-^-li''-^-BM"-^ 


/I 


—  4i- 


\<-  h"  -A*i^' 


^or  Use  on  the  Dn7/ing  Machines,  fhese  Chucks  have  "Y-'Jaws 

FIG.    215.      DETAILS   OF    HINGED    CHUCK 


j  Bol+wih 
Butterfly  Kuf 


One  cut  finishes  the  work.  The  scheduled  time  for  finish  turning  is  20 
pieces  per  hour.  The  operator  uses  a  ring  gage  3.290  in.  in  diameter, 
which  he  tries  over  each  piece  after  it  is  turned.  This  is  the  high  limit 
for  diameter. 

Diameter  gages  are  used  on  the  body,  the  limits  being  3.280  and  3.290 
in.  respectively.  The  inspector  also  gages  the  shape  of  the  nose  with  the 
contour  gage. 

Up  to  this  point  in  manufacture  the  shells  are  kept  as  near  as  possible 
to  the  high  limits.     They  now  undergo  the  first  weighing  operation.     The 


Chap.  Ill]  BRITISH  18-POUNDER  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  287 

actual  weighing  is  done  by  an  employee  of  the  shop,  but  the  operation  is 
under  the  eye  of  a  Government  inspector.  The  shells  are  weighed  on 
ordinary  scales  and  the  amount  which  they  are  over  15  lb.  2  oz.  8  dr.  is 
chalked  on  the  side  of  the  shell  in  ounces  and  fractions  and  an  amount 
of  metal  equal  in  weight  to  these  chalked  figures  must  be  removed  from 
the  base  in  the  twelfth  operation. 

The  schedule  output  on  this  facing  to  weight  is  35  shells  per  hour. 
Having  been  adjusted  to  weight,  the  shells  are  taken  by  the  truck  gang 
to  the  next  operation.  Facing  to  weight  is  day's  work,  and  the  operation 
is  not  checked. 

The  thirteenth  operation  is  one  which  is  necessary  with  the  base 
plate  only.  Those  shells  which  have  the  threaded  base  plate  do  not 
undergo  it.  The  work  is  done  on  20-in.  by  6-ft.  engine  lathes.  No  tail- 
stock  is  used.  The  shell  A  is  gripped  in  a  heavy  combination  chuck, 
the  nose  of  the  shell  bringing  up  against  a  stop.  Owing  to  the  fact  that 
the  shells  in  the  twelfth  operation  have,  in  order  to  bring  them  to  specified 
weight,  been  turned  slightly  varying  lengths  and  will  therefore  not  all 
project  an  equal  distance  from  the  chuck,  some  sort  of  self-accommodating 
gage  is  in  this  operation  a  manufacturing  necessity.  The  gage  B  (opera- 
tion sketch)  fulfills  the  requirements,  is  simple  in  construction  and  pro- 
duces results  that  are  sufficiently  accurate.  It  is  secured  to  the  tool 
slide.  The  hinged  member  can  be  swung  out  of  the  way  if  desired. 
The  forward  end  is  slotted  to  accommodate  the  roller.  The  angular 
tool  C  is  ^8  ill-  nearer  the  chuck  than  the  roller,  thus  gaging  a  cut  J'^  in. 
deep  irrespective  of  the  length  of  the  shell. 

The  operation  of  turning  the  ''faee  angle"  (for  riveting)  is  as  follows: 
A  shell  is  chucked,  then  the  operator  brings  the  carriage  toward  the 
chuck  till  the  roller  touches  the  face  of  the  base  of  the  shell.  With  the 
carriage  held  in  this  position  the  angular  tool  C  is  fed  across  the  face  of 
the  work  till  the  stop  is  encountered.  The  scheduled  time  for  this 
operation  is  50  pieces  per  hour. 

The  fourteenth  operation  is  rough  turning  the  groove  for  the  wave 
and  rounding  the  edge  of  the  base.  This  work  is  done  on  20-in.  by  6-ft. 
engine  lathes  with  a  special  set-up  of  tools. 

Mounted  rigidly  on  the  cross-slide  of  the  lathe  is  the  block  which  is 
connected  with  the  crossfeed  screw,  but  for  the  purpose  of  crosswise 
adjustment  only.  Once  the  block  is  set  in  the  correct  position,  the  cross- 
feed  handle  is  removed  and  the  gib  screws  are  set  up  hard  to  prevent 
shifting.  Rigidly  secured  to  the  top  of  the  block  is  a  fixture  supporting 
a  sliding  member  which  carries  at  the  front  a  rough  groove-forming  tool 
and  at  the  back  an  edge-rounding  tool.  The  sliding  member  is  provided 
with  a  rack  that  is  engaged  by  a  pinion  on  the  lower  end  of  a  lever  shaft 
which  controls  the  movement  of  the  slide.  Rigidly  secured  to  the  sup- 
porting fixture  is  a  member  which  acts  as  a  housing  for  the  shaft  and  also 


288 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


carries  the  stop  and  rollers  that  bear  on  the  plain  part  of  the  shell  behind 
the  groove  and  prevent  it  from  lifting  during  the  grooving  operation. 

The  operation  of  cutting  a  groove  is  very  simple.  The  shell  is 
chucked,  and  the  carriage  is  brought  forward  till  the  stop  bears  on  the 
base  of  the  shell,  thus  determining  the  distance  from  the  base  to  the 
groove.  The  carriage  is  then  clamped,  and  the  operator  pulls  the  lever 
toward  him  till  the  stop  for  the  grooving  tool  is  reached.  He  then  pushes 
it  away  from  him  till  the  stop  for  the  edge-rounding  tool  is  encountered. 
The  first  movement  roughs  the  groove,  and  the  second  rounds  the  edge 
of  the  base.  The  carriage  is  now  undamped  and  run  back  and  the  work 
removed. 

The  scheduled  time  for  the  fourteenth  operation  is  35  pieces  per  hour. 
The  shop  inspection  covers  the  diameter  of  the  driving-band  groove  in 
the  rough,  the  Hmits  for  which  are  3.090  and  3.110  in.  However,  but  a 
single  gage  is  used  here,  3.100  in.  in  diameter.  The  distance  from  the 
base  to  the  driving  band  is  between  0.73  and  0.77  in.,  but  the  high  Umit 
alone  is  used.  The  width  of  the  driving-band  groove  in  the  rough,  is 
between  0.885  and  0.915  in. 

The  method  of  applying  the  driving  band  to  British  shells  is  much 
more  elaborate.     The  groove  is  dovetailed  on  each  side,  and  depending 

on  the  size  of  the  projectile,  two 


0.5Z5"ms" :0.I5' 

rt\7MM"Lom" 


FIG.   216. 


WAVE    RIBS    FOR    HIGH-EXPLOSIVE 
SHELL 


or  more  wave  ribs,  as  shown  in 
Fig.  216,  are  turned  in  the  bot- 
tom. When  the  copper  band  is 
pressed  on,  the  wave  ribs  embed 
themselves  in.  The  object 
sought  is  to  assure  that,  at  the 
moment  of  firing,  the  friction 
between  the  band  and  the  shell 
shall  be  sufficient  to  overcome 
the  inertia  of  the  shell  and  cause 
it  to  follow  the  rifling  in  a  rotary 
as  well  as  a  forward  motion. 
The  rough  grooved  shells  from  the  fourteenth  operation  go  to  20-in.  by 
8-ft.  engine  lathes.  They  are  equipped  with  heavy  combination  chucks 
to  hold  the  shells  and  drive  them.  The  base  end  of  the  shell  is  supported 
by  the  tail  center.  Mounted  on  the  carriage  of  the  lathe  is  a  stop 
which  is  so  located  that  it  brings  up  against  the  base  of  the  shell  between 
the  edge  and  the  riveting  flange.  This  stop  is  fixed  in  the  carriage  and 
bears  a  positive  position  relatively  to  the  undercutting  attachment  on 
the  front  of  the  carriage,  and  also  to  the  waving  attachment  on  the  back. 
The  waving  cam  is  secured  to  the  face  of  the  chuck  in  such  manner  that 
it  does  not  interfere  with  the  operation  of  the  chuck. 

The  operations  of  undercutting  and  waving  are  performed  as  follows : 


Chap.  Ill]  BRITISH  18-POUNDER  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  289 

The  operator  enters  a  shell  in  the  chuck  of  the  engine  lathe.  Inside  the 
spindle  and  backed  up  by  a  stiff  spring  is  a  sliding  plug.  The  nose  of  the 
shell  fits  over  this.  The  rear  end  of  the  shell  is  located  on  the  tail  center, 
which  is  then  run  out,  compressing  the  spring  and  holding  the  shell. 
The  jaws  of  the  chuck  are  now  tightened  on  the  body  of  the  shell.  The 
carriage  is  run  forward  till  the  stop  B  (Fig.  217)  brings  up  against  the 
base  end  of  the  shell,  thus  correctly  locating  the  undercutting  and  waving 
attachments  in  relation  to  the  rough-turned  driving-band  groove.  The 
carriage  is  now  clamped  and  the  undercutting  tool  fed  to  the  bottom  of 
the  groove,  a  stop  controlling  the  motion  of  the  cross-slide.  The  diago- 
nally disposed  tools  are  alternately  advanced,  first  to  the  right  and  then 
to  the  left.  When  both  sides  are  undercut,  the  cross-slide  is  run  back. 
This  brings  the  waving  attachment  at  the  back  of  the  cross-slide  into 
operating  position,  with  the  roller  F  in  contact  with  the  wave  cam  E. 
While  the  waving  tool  is  reciprocated  by  the  cam  and  roller,  it  is  fed  to 
depth  in  the  groove  by  the  crossfeed  screw,  which  in  turn  is  controlled 
by  the  handwheel  L.  The  scheduled  output  for  undercutting  and  waving 
is  21  shells  per  hour. 

After  the  wave  is  cut,  a  small  thread-like  ridge  is  left  on  one  side  of 
the  driving-band  groove.  This  is  removed  by  a  boy  with  a  hammer  and 
a  chisel.     This  completes  the  fifteenth  operation. 

The  sixteenth  is  another  operation  on  which  the  Jones  &  Lamson 
flat  turret  lathes  have  been  retained.  It  consists  of  forming  the  recess 
in  the  base  of  the  shell  for  the  reception  of  the  base  plate. 

It  is  performed  on  2X24-in.  machines,  of  which  three  turret  stations 
are  used.  The  shell  is  held  in  the  regular  Jones  &  Lamson  collet  chuck. 
The  first  station  of  the  turret  carries  an  ordinary  stop.  The  second 
station  carries  a  flat  recessing  tool,  and  the  third  station  carries  a  single- 
pointed  boring  and  facing  tool. 

The  shell  is  entered  in  the  chuck  and  lightly  gripped.  The  stop 
is  then  brought  forward,  forcing  the  shell  in  the  chuck  to  the  correct 
depth ;  this  is  determined  by  the  stop  for  the  turret  sHde.  The  chuck  is 
then  fully  closed.  The  turret  is  indexed  and  the  recessing  tool  brought 
to  operating  position.  The  turret  is  fed  forward  till  the  stop  is  reached. 
The  recessing  tool  used  is  shown  in  Fig.  218.  Its  body  is  made  of  machine 
steel  and  the  inserted  cutter  of  high-speed  steel.  The  collar  G  prevents 
the  holder  from  opening  up  when  the  setscrew  H  is  tightened  on  the 
cutter.  The  tool  is  set  so  that  it  cuts  from  the  center  outward.  It 
leaves  the  recess  about  )^4  in.  smaller  in  diameter  and  the  same  amount 
shallower  than  final  size. 

The  third  station  of  the  turret  carries  a  combination  boring  and 
facing  tool,  which  is  also  shown  in  Fig.  218.  The  operator  sets  the  head 
of  the  machine  over  to  bore  the  correct  diameter.  The  turret  is  fed  by 
hand  till  the  stop  is  reached.     The  turret  is  then  clamped  and  the  cross - 

19 


290 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


Chap.  Ill]  BRITISH  18-POUNDER  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


291 


feed  on  the  head  thrown  in  to  face  the  bottom  of  the  recess.  The  sched- 
uled output  for  the  recessing  operation  is  25  pieces  per  hour. 

Inspection  covers  the  thickness  of  the  base  of  the  shell  measured 
from  the  bottom  of  the  hole  in  the  shell  to  the  bottom  of  the  base-plate 
recess  and  the  diameter  and  flatness  of  the  bottom  of  the  recess. 

The  seventeenth  operation  is  done  on  sensitive  drilling  machines 
handled  by  boys.     It  consists  of  driUing  a  hole,  K-in.  tapping  size,  for 


Tool  E 

FIG.    218.      ROUGHING   AND   FINISHING   RECESSING   TOOLS 

the  fixing  screw.  The  outfit  used  is  shown  in  Fig.  219.  The  jig  A  is, 
Hke  all  the  other  tools  used  in  this  shop,  very  substantial  in  construction. 
The  base  A  is  made  of  cast  iron  and  carries  a  horizontal  post  B  which  is 
an  easy  fit  for  the  hole  in  the  shell.  A  keyway  or  slot  runs  along  the  top 
of  B  so  that  the  burrs  caused  by  drilling  will  not  jam  when  the  work  is 
removed.  It  must  be  remembered  that  owing  to  wear  on  the  boring 
tools  and  other  conditions  in  the  boring  operation,  the  holes  are  not  all 
of  exactly  the  same  size;  for  this  reason  the  post  B  must  be  of  such  size 
that  it  will  fit  the  smallest  acceptable  size  of  hole.  Mounted  on  the  base 
at  the  rear  end  of  the  shell  is  a  vertical  member  which  carries  a  circular 
wedge  E.     This  is  used  to  force  the  shell  against  the  vertical  member  of 


U--.  fi/.-J 


FIG.    219.      DRILL   JIG   FOR   FIXING-SCREW  HOLE 


A  which  acts  as  a  stop  and  also  prevents  the  shell  from  shifting  during 
drilling.  The  scheduled  time  for  drilling  the  tapping-size  hole  for  the 
fixing  screw  is  50  per  hour,  but  as  high  as  80  per  hour  has  been  done. 

The  eighteenth  operation  is  tapping  the  M-in.  fixing-screw  hole. 
It  is  done  on  sensitive  drilling  machines  which  are  situated  within  easy 
reach  of  the  machines  where  the  hole  is  drilled.  As  soon  as  a  shell  is 
drilled,  the  boy  lays  it  on  a  table  convenient  for  the  boy  who  does  the 


J 


FIG.    220.      THE   TAPPING   PIXTURE 


292  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  [Sec.  II 

tapping.  The  jig,  shown  in  Fig.  220,  is  similar  to  the  one  used  for  drill- 
ing, except  that  the  wedge  is  dispensed  with  so  that  the  work  is  free  to 
float  slightly  and  accommodate  itself  to  the.  tap.  This  operation  is 
handled  by  boys,  and  the  scheduled  output  is  80  holes  per  hour.  As  in 
the  drilling  operation,  the  tapping  must  keep  pace  with  the  speed  of  the 
shop. 

The  nineteenth  operation  is  the  selection  of  shells  to  make  up  a  series. 
The  number  of  shells  in  a  series  is  250,  and  15  heat  numbers  are  per- 
mitted in  its  make-up.  Reference  will  again  be  made  to  heat  numbers 
as  they  constitute  an  important  consideration  in  the  manufacture  of  the 
shells. 

A  series  having  been  selected,  the  shells  are  taken  by  the  truck  gang 

to  the  air-operated  marking 

Slot  to  clear  Burs  so  machine     to     undergo      the 

Shell  will  come  off \  ,         ,.   ,,  ..         ^i     i       /• 

twentieth  operation,  that  of 

marking. 

The    air   cylinder   of   the 

^    marking  machine,  is  about  6 

in.  in  diameter  and  is  supplied 

with  air  at  80  lb.  pressure  per 

square  inch.     The  forward  end  of  the  ram  is  loosely  connected  by  means 

of  a  yoke  with  the  slide.     In  the  center  of  the  slide  is  a  chase  to  hold 

the  removable  hardened-steel  type. 

The  shells  are  laid  on  their  sides  on  tables  and  as  they  are  rolled  along 
toward  the  marking  machine  three  chisel  cuts  are  made  across  the  wave 
ribs.  The  shell  to  be  marked  is  placed  in  position  by  the  operator  who 
then  signals  his  assistant  to  open  the  air  valve.  The  plunger  goes  for- 
ward, and  the  shell  is  rolled  between  the  type  in  the  chase  and  the  inner 
surface  of  the  housing.  As  there  is  only  a  line  contact  between  the  type 
and  the  shell,  the  imprint  can  be  made  very  deep  and  distinct. 

The  scheduled  output  of  the  marking  machine  is  125  shells  per  hour. 
This  represents  the  speed  at  which  the  operators  can  handle  the  shells, 
not  the  speed  of  the  machine.  With  the  shells  arranged  so  that  they  are 
within  easy  reach  of  the  operator  he  can  mark  them  at  the  rate  of  20  per 
minute. 

First  Complete  Shop  Inspection  and  Hospital  Work. — The  twenty- 
first  operation  is  the  first  complete  shop  inspection.  It  covers  all  the 
work  done  in  the  various  operations  up  to  this  point  of  manufacture.  It 
also  includes  the  discovery  and  correction,  if  possible,  of  all  injuries 
suffered  by  the  shells  in  their  passage  through  the  shop.  Having  under- 
gone so  many  operations  and  handlings,  many  of  the  shells  are  slightly 
bruised  and  dented.  It  is  the  duty  of  the  shop  inspectors  to  look  for 
such  defects  and  of  the  ''hospital  gang"  to  correct  all  which  can  be  cor- 
rected.    The  hospital  gang  works  under  the  direction  of  the  shop  inspect- 


Chap.  Ill]  BRITISH  18-POUNDER  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  293 

ors,  and  among  its  duties  is  the  removal,  by  filing  in  the  lathe,  of  the 
burrs  raised  by  the  type  in  the  marking  operation.  The  removal  of 
these  burrs  permits  the  high-diameter  ring  gage  to  pass  over  the  shell. 
The  edge  of  the  fuse  seat  in  the  nose  of  the  shell  is  quite  sharp  and  for 
that  reason  is  likely  to  be  dented  by  coming  in  contact  with  the  other  shells 
and  hard  materials  in  its  way  through  the  shop.  These  dents  are  cor- 
rected with  a  rose  reamer  of  the  proper  shape.  After  passing  shop  inspec- 
tion and  the  necessary  corrections  having  been  made  by  the  hospital 
gang,  the  shell  bodies  are  thoroughly  cleaned.  Exceptional  care  is  taken 
with  this  part  of  the  work.  All  dirt  and  grease  both  inside  and  out,  are 
removed  by  immersing  the  shells  in  hot  caustic  soda.  While  thus 
immersed,  they  and  the  soda  are  agitated.  After  draining,  the  work  is 
put  through  two  baths  of  clean  boiling  water  to  remove  all  traces  of 
soda. 

For  the  preliminary  examination,  shells  with  the  machined  parts 
finished  are  presented  in  lots  and  inspected  for  freedom  from  cracks, 
flaws,  scale,  rust  and  other  material  defects  and  for  smoothness  of  sur- 
face. The  operations  enumerated  in  Table  2  are  carried  out.  The 
recess  in  the  base  of  the  shell  is  examined. 

Table  2.     Inspection  of  High-explosive  Shells 

r\        X-  Per  Cent. 

Operation  Operation  to  Be  Done 

^^°-  on  18-Pounder 

1  Examination  of  fractures  and  work  marks  on  billets.  100 

2  Internal  and  external  examination  before  varnishing.  100 

3  Undercut  in  groove  for  driving  band 100 

4  Low  diameter  of  groove  for  driving  band  high  and  low  100 

5  Examination  of  threads  in  base  and  head 100 

6  Concentricity  of  cavity 100 

7  Depth  and  flatness  of  recess  for  base  plate 100 

8  Examination  of  base  plate  before  insertion 100 

9  Examination  of  base  recess  for  flaws 100 

10  Base  calipers 100 

11  Wall  calipers 50^ 

12  Diameter  of  body  high  and  low 100 

No  patching,  stopping,  plugging  or  electric  welding  is  allowed.  Shells 
found  correct  are  marked  by  the  inspector  with  this  work  mark  in  the 
following  manner,  as  illustrated  in  Fig.  221. 

1.  A  work  mark  is  stamped  on  the  body  immediately  in  front  of  the 
driving-band  groove  to  indicate  that  the  driving-band  groove  is  correct 
and  ready  for  the  band. 

2.  A  second  work  mark  is  stamped  above  the  first  if  the  shell  is  found 
correct  to  body  gaging  and  visual  examination.     (As  an  alternative  these 

^  When  a  shop  has  been  turning  out  satisfactory  work  for  some  time,  the  per- 
centage of  shells  inspected  for  wall  thickness  is  only  from  10  to  20. 


294 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


work  marks  may  be  placed  in  the  rear  of  the  driving-band  groove,  the 
one  indicating  the  correctness  of  the  groove  being  next  to  it.) 

3.  A  work  mark  is  stamped  on  the  shoulder  to  indicate  that  the  threads 
in  the  head  are  correct. 

4.  A  work  mark  is  stamped  in  the  bottom  of  the  base-plate  recess 
and  one  on  the  base  of  the  shell  near  the  edge  of  the  recess  to  indicate  the 
correctness  of  the  recess. 


ance  Stamp  here 


Series  Letfe  rs  ■ 

Driving -Boind 

OrooveCorred 


wni      <^f^  •  Correctness  of  Fuse  tiole 
of  jteel Acceptance  Stamp.  /..  .3.7M^   \/br  6aging  &  Infernal  EMm\ 
Use  ordinajr^  Accept      /  ^ 

Q.F.18P5 

U 

F.5. 
D.B.Co. 
5-11-1915 
-^BX 

±1. 


Correctness  after  final  Examh 
Servicable  Mark 
Correct  Threads  in  hea^ 


3  ody  6 aging  and 
Visual  Examination 


Series  Lettet 


orrecT  Recess 


For  Froot  She/Is  on  l\t 

'Base  Letter  Band 
Heat  Number 


PIG.    221.      MARKING   CHART  FOR   GOVERNMENT  INSPECTOR 


In  Fig.  222  is  shown  the  drop-forging  die  for  base  plates.  The  steel 
used  for  these  dies — one  that  has  given  entire  satisfaction — is  Jessop's, 
containing  0.75  per  cent,  carbon.  The  dies  are  heated  to  about  1,450  deg. 
F.  and  quenched  in  water.  Before  they  are  quite  cold,  they  are  removed 
from  the  water  and  immersed  in  fish  oil,  where  they  are  allowed  to  cool 
off  gradually. 

The  average  life  of  the  dies  on  this  work  is  about  20,000  forgings 
before  the  impression  wears  so  that  resinking  becomes  necessary. 

The  steel  used  for  forging  the  base  plates  is  0.50  carbon,  the  stock  used 
islMxKin. 

The  drop-hammer  operator  can  on  an  average  make  110  small  plates 
an  hour.  The  trimming  die  is  an  ordinary  round  die  with  a  punch  to 
match.  An  operator  can  trim  about  550  forgings  per  hour.  While  not 
actually  an  operation  on  the  shell  itself,  this  making  of  the  base  plate 
will  be  considered  as  the  twenty-second  operation  in  the  series. 

After  forging,  the  base  plates  are  subjected  to  a  rigid  visual  inspection. 
Test  pieces  are  also  taken  from  a  certain  percentage  of  the  forgings  and 
pulled  to  destruction.  The  base  plates  that  pass  inspection  are  trucked 
from  the  forge  shop  to  the  rough-turning  lathes  in  the  shell  shop.  In 
these  machines  the  forging  undergoes  the  twenty-third  operation,  in 


Chap.  Ill]  BRITISH  18-POUNDER  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


295 


which  it  is  merely  reduced  in  diameter,  no  stock  being  removed  from  the 
face  of  the  base-plate  blank. 

The  lathes  are  equipped  with  sockets  having  a  tapered  square  hole 
that  fits  over  the  shank  of  the  rough  forging.  Fitted  in  the  tail  spindle 
is  a  flat  disk  center,  which  abuts  against  the  face  of  the^rough  forging 
and  holds  it  in  the  tapered  socket  while  the  cut  is  running. 


j<_-.-_^^._._-.>l       !<..,. ._^^  _...>! 


'mm 


BOTTOM  DIE 


FIG.  222. 


DIES   AND   FORGING    FOR  RIVETED  BASE  PLATE  FOR  18-LB.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE 
SHELL 


The  operation  of  rough-turning,  performed  on  the  same  machine, 
is  as  follows:  The  rough  forging  is  entered  in  the  tapered  socket.  The 
disk  center  in  the  tail  spindle  is  run  up  against  the  flat  base  of  the  forg- 
ing, and  the  tail  spindle  is  clamped.  The  travel  of  the  tool  is  toward  the 
headstock.  Enough  metal  is  removed  to  leave  about  M2  iii-  for  the  finish- 
turning  operation.  A  man  can  rough-turn  from  175  to  200  base  plates 
per  hour.  One  cut  only  is  taken,  and  the  setting  of  the  tool  is  altered 
only  after  grinding  and  when,  through  wear,  slight  adjustment  becomes 
necessary. 


296  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  [Sec,  II 

The  twenty-fourth  operation,  which  consists  of  finishing  the  base 
plates,  is  done  on  engine  lathes.  The  spindles  of  the  machines  are 
hollow  and  provided  with  draw-in  collets  to  hold  the  work.  The  rear 
tool  block  C  is  controlled  by  the  ball  handle  D,  which  is  mounted  on  a 
screw  that  passes  through  a  hole  in  the  screw  operating  the  front  tool 
block  which  in  turn  carries  a  circular  formed  tool  of  the  same  shape  as  the 
finished  base  plate. 

The  operation  of  finish-turning  a  base  plate  is  as  follows:  The 
rough-turned  base  plate  is  chucked  in  the  collet  chuck  and  the  facing 
tool  in  the  rear  tool  block  is  then  brought  forward.  When  the  bottom 
of  the  base  plate  is  faced,  the  tool  is  returned  clear  of  the  work.  The 
operator  then  feeds  the  circular  forming  tool  into  the  work  until  the  stop 
is  encountered.  This  determines  the  diameter  of  the  work  and  finishes 
the  operation. 

For  inspection  three  gages  are  used — a  2.250-in.  snap  gage  for  the 
diameter;  a  30-deg.  angular  gage  for  the  angular  part  of  the  work  and  a 
0.22-in.  height  gage  for  the  height  of  the  cylindrical  part.  The  scheduled 
time  on  the  finish-turning  is  about  75  pieces  per  hour.  This  is  about 
five  times  as  fast  as  the  highest  possible  production  on  the  threaded 
base  plate.  Furthermore,  the  tools  used  are  much  more  rugged  than 
those  used  for  threaded  base  plates  and  consequently  give  less  trouble. 

To  preclude  the  possibility  of  trapping  the  air  in  the  base-plate  recess 
when  the  base  plate  is  forced  home,  the  Government  requires  that  the 
base  plates  have  three  grooves  cut  in  the  periphery  of  the  cylindrical 
part.  These  act  as  vents  for  the  release  of  the  air.  The  requirement  is 
that  the  nicks  be  cut  out;  that  is  to  say,  the  metal  must  be  removed,  not 
merely  wedged  to  the  sides  with  a  cold  chisel,  as  is  the  method  when  the 
wave  ribs  are  nicked  for  the  same  purpose  in  the  copper  driving-band 
groove. 

A  special  machine  was  constructed  for  this  work,  but  it  was  found  that 
using  a  file  was  quicker.  The  base  plates  are  held  in  a  vise,  and  the 
operator  takes  three  strokes  with  the  edge  of  a  half-round  file.  He  makes 
three  nicks  at  an  angle  of  45  deg.  with  the  base  and  approximately  120 
deg.  apart.  This  finishes  the  twenty-fifth  operation,  as  there  is  no 
inspection.  When  done,  the  base  plates  are  trucked  to  the  bench,  where 
they  and  the  shell  bodies  are  assembled  preparatory  to  forcing  in  the  base 
plate.  Assembling,  which  is  the  twenty-sixth  operation,  consists  merely 
of  entering  the  base  plate  in  the  recess  in  the  base  of  the  shell  body. 

In  Fig.  223  is  shown  a  40-ton  Murphy  pneumatic  riveter  used  for 
the  twenty-seventh  operation,  which  is  pressing  in  the  new  type  of  base 
plate.  The  assemblers  enter  the  base  plates  in  the  recess  in  the  bottom 
of  the  shell  body.  The  shells  are  then  placed  on  a  bench  convenient  to 
the  operator  of  the  riveter.  The  post.  Fig.  223,  is  hinged  so  that  it  can 
be  tilted  forward  for  placing  and  removing  the  shell. 


Chap.  Ill]  BRITISH  18-POUNDER  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


297 


The  operation  of  forcing  a  base  plate  into  the  shell  base  is  as  follows: 
The  operator  slips  a  shell  over  the  post,  which  is  tilted  toward  him,  as 
shown  by  dotted  lines.  The  post  and  shell  are  then  pushed  back  to 
a  vertical  position,  when  its  axis  is  in  line  with  the  axis  of  the  plunger. 
The  air  valve  is  then 
opened,  forcing  the 
plunger  downward.  One 
or  two  strokes  of  the 
plunger  are  sufficient  to 
force  the  base  plate 
firmly  to  its  seat  in  the 
recess  in  the  shell  base. 

The  speed  of  hand- 
ling depends  on  the  men 
and  not  on  the  machine. 
Two  men  handle  the 
job,  and  they  can  press 
in  200  base  plates  per 
hour.  After      being 

pressed  in,  a  Govern- 
ment inspector  tests 
each  base  plate  with 
a  hammer  blow.  Any 
that  sound  hollow  are 
removed,  and  slightly 
larger  ones  are  fitted 
and  driven  in.  From 
the  Murphy  riveter  the 
shells  are  trucked  to 
the  riveting  hammers, 
of  the  type  shown  in 
Fig.  224,  where  they  un- 
dergo the  twenty-eighth 
operation. 

The  operation  of 
riveting  is  as  follows: 
The  operator  slides  the 
table  toward  him  and 
places  a  shell  from  the 
previous  operation  over 
the  post  F.  The  table  is  then  pushed  away  from  him  until  brought 
up  by  the  stop  /.  The  operator  then  depresses  the  foot  lever,  and 
the  hammer  is  started.  With  both  hands  embracing  it,  the  shell  is 
slowly  revolved  on  the  post  until  practically  all  the  metal  in  the  riveting 


298 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


flange  is  driven  down  onto  the  angular  part  of  the  base  plate.  Rivet- 
ing the  new  type  of  base  plate  can  be  done  at  the  rate  of  about  30  base 
plates  per  hour. 

After  riveting,  the  work  is  visually  inspected  and  also  given  the 
hammer  test.  The  shells  are  then  credited  to 
the  operator  and  trucked  to  a  bank  of  Racine 
hacksaws,  where  they  undergo  the  twenty-ninth 
operation.  One  boy  runs  two  saws,  and  they 
are  never  stopped  except  to  renew  blades.  The 
time  for  sawing  is  one  minute,  so  the  boy's  out- 
put should  be  nearly  120  shells  per  hour. 

After  the  stems  are  sawed  off,  the  shells  are 
trucked  to  20-in.  engine  lathes,  where  the  base 
plate  and  the  base  of  the  shells  are  faced  off. 
This  constitutes  the  thirtieth  operation.  The 
lathes  are  equipped  similarly  to  those  used  in 
operation  12.  From  three  to  four  cuts  are 
necessary  to  face  the  bases  correctly. 

The  shells  are  then  trucked  to  the  banding 
department.  The  copper  bands  come  in  boxes 
from  the  copper  mills.  The  dimensions  of  the 
copper  bands  are  as  shown  in  Fig.  225.  The 
banding  gang,  when  everything  is  going  right, 
consists  of  three  men.  One  man  assembles  the 
copper  bands  and  the  bodies  of  the  shells,  and 
two  men  handle  the  shells  into  and  out  of  the 
banding  press  and  operate  it.  When  the  gang 
is  working,  the  operation  is  as  follows: 


^^^/W7AyV 


H.0.89" 
L.O.dd" 


FIG.  224.  PNEUMATIC 
HAMMER  ARRANGED  FOR 
RIVETING 


FIG. 


225.      ROUGH    COPPER    DRI\ING   BAND    FOR 
18-POUNDER    HIGH-EXPLOSIVE    SHELL 


A  number  ot  copper  bands  from  one  of  the  boxes  are  dumped  on  the 
assembling  bench.     The  truck  boxes  with  the  shell  bodies  are  placed 


Chap.  Ill]  BRITISH  Ig-POUNDER  HlGH-EXPLOSlVE  SHELLS  299 

conveniently  for  the  band  assembler.  He  takes  a  shell  from  a  truck  box 
and  a  copper  band  from  the  pile  on  the  bench.  Laying  the  band  on  the 
bench,  he  enters  the  base  ofjthe  shell  into  it.  Owing  to  the  way  the 
copper  bands  are  shipped  and  to  the  fact  that  they  are  annealed  dead 
soft,  they  are  usually  enough  out  of  round  to  cling  to  the  shell.  The 
assembler  then  raises  the  shell  and  the  band,  which  clings  to  it.  With 
the  shell  as  a  ram  he  bunts  the  band  on  the  base  of  the  shell,  using  the 
bench  to  bunt  it  against.  When  the  band  is  as  far  on  as  it  can  be  driven 
in  this  way,  he  lays  the  shell  on  its  side  and  taps  the  band  lightly  with  a 
hand  hammer  at  several  places  on  its  perimeter,  to  expand  it  slightly  so 
that  it  can  be  slipped  along  the  body  to  its  position  over  the  driving- 
band  groove.  It  is  a  fairly  snug  fit  sidewise  in  the  groove;  but  as  it  has 
been  expanded  sufficiently  to  pass  over  the  body,  it  will  not  remain  in 
position  in  the  groove.  To  assure  that  it  remains  in  place  till  it  is 
compressed,  the  assembler  closes  it  into  the  driving-band  groove  at  two 
diametrically  opposite  places  by  blows  with  the  hand  hammer.  He 
then  stands  the  assembled  shell  and  band  on  its  base  in  a  position 
convenient  for  the  operator  of  the  banding  press. 

The  banding-press  operator  takes  the  shell  and  centers  its  base  down- 
ward in  the  dies  of  the  press.  He  then  opens  the  operating  valve,  which 
causes  the  six  dies,  connected  with  the  six  cylinders  of  the  press,  to  close 
on  the  driving  band  and  force  it  into  the  driving-band  groove.  The 
operating  valve  is  then  reversed,  and  the  dies  open.  As  soon  as  the  work 
is  clear  of  the  dies,  the  operator  gives  the  shell  a  slight  turn,  approximately 
the  twelfth  part  of  a  circle,  so  that  the  ridges  formed  on  the  compressed 
band  between  the  dies  in  the  first  squeeze  are  about  in  the  centers  of  the 
individual  dies.  The  work  is  then  given  a  second  squeeze.  After  the 
second  squeeze,  the  bands  are  given  the  hammer  test,  the  work  is  credited, 
and  the  shells  are  trucked  to  the  band-turning  lathes,  which  are  located 
near  the  banding  presses.  A  banding  gang  has  assembled  and  pressed 
copper  bands  on  3,300  shells  in  10  hr. 

The  arrangement  of  the  tool  holder  on  the  lathes  used  for  band- 
turning  is  shown  in  Fig.  226.  The  taper  of  the  jaws  and  the  pitch  of  the 
thread  on  the  chuck  are  such  that  it  is  self-closing.  The  operator  places 
the  base  of  a  shell  in  the  jaws  of  the  chuck  and  brings  the  cup  tail  center 
up  against  the  nose  of  the  shell.  The  lathe  is  then  started.  The  inertia 
of  the  shell  and  the  friction  cause  the  chuck  jaws  to  tighten  themselves 
automatically  on  the  base  of  the  shell.  The  operator  feeds  the  tool  in  to 
the  stop.     As  soon  as  the  stop  is  encountered,  the  tool  is  withdrawn. 

The  tool  leaves  a  slight  burr  on  the  edge  of  the  copper  driving  band. 
This  burr  must  be  removed  with  the  band  scraper,  shown  at  A,  Fig.  226. 
This  band  scraper  is  pivoted  and  remains  on  the  tool  post  above  the  tool 
while  the  band  is  being  turned. 

A  mere  touch  on  the  edges  of  the  copper  band  removes  the  burrs. 


800 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


iOi 

'~1@" 

|0! 

y^-A 

l5  ^91^91, 


l. 

; 

.'^ 

w 

i'ffi'.!! 

7 

1 

y 

o 


L-3lpuidg\fing 
Of  poajifi  p'uo  djog 


Chap.  Ill]  BRITISH  18-POUNDER  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


301 


3.?9' 
H.3.39''  L  3.38S'' 


H.3h'  LJ.OQ"- 
h.3255"  L.3.Z45' 


H.  3.215  L.  3.195 

t1.  3335'  L. 3.325"- 

h  3  29"  L.J.'Hd" 


FIG.    227.      FORM   OF   DRIVING   BAND 


Owing  to  the  fact  that  the  copper  is  turned  at  a  much  higher  speed  than 
would  be  possible  with  steel,  the  formed  tool  is  made  shghtly  narrower 
than  the  copper  band,  so  that  there  will  be  no  chance  of  the  tool  coming 
in  contact  with  the  steel  body  of  the  shell  and  thus  destroying  its  edge. 
After  scraping,  the  chuck  is  opened  with  a  pin  spanner,  the  shell  taken  out 
and  the  gage  passed  over  the  band  by  the  operator  for  the  only  and  final 
inspection. 

High-speed  steel  is  used  at  the  Dominion  Bridge  Works  for  the  formed 
tools  for  turning  copper  driving  bands.  The  contour  of  the  form-turned 
driving  band  is  shown  in  Fig. 
227.  The  hfe  of  a  tool  is 
dependent  on  a  number  of 
factors  and  therefore  varies 
greatly.  From  100  to  430 
copper  bands  have  been 
turned  by  a  tool  at  one 
grinding.  As  it  must  be 
kept  very  keen,  the  operator 
touches  up  the  edge  of  the 
tool  with  an  oil  stone  about 
every  30  bands.  An  emul- 
sion of  soluble  oil  and  water 

is  used  to  lubricate  the  cut.  After  turning,  the  shell  is  subjected  to  a 
rigid  inspection  in  which  nine  gages  are  used.  They  are  shown  in 
operation  sketch  33.  In  Fig.  228  is  shown  the  latest  drawing  of  the 
18-pounder  high-explosive  shell,  which  is  known  as  Mark  III  and 
supersedes  Mark  II.  Having  passed  inspection  and  having  been 
stamped  and  credited  to  the  operator,  the  shells  are  trucked  to  the 
varnishing  department. 

At  the  Dominion  Bridge  Works  the  first  operation  in  the  varnishing 
department  consists  in  screwing  bushings  into  the  thread-milled  fuse  hole 
in  the  shell.  These  bushings  are  made  of  cast  brass  and  are  very  light. 
They  have  a  hole  entirely  through  them,  and  their  object  is  to  protect 
the  threads  in  the  nose  from  the  varnish.  Once  screwed  in  they  remain 
in  the  shells  till  after  the  baking.  The  operation  of  screwing  in  the  bush- 
ings is  a  simple  one.  The  men  enter  the  bushings  in  the  shells  and  screw 
them  down  as  far  as  they  will  go  by  hand.  Then  with  a  flat  cranked 
key,  which  engages  with  the  lugs  projecting  inwardly  from  the  upper 
part  of  the  bushing,  the  men  screw  the  bushings  down  as  far  as  they 
will  go. 

Varnishing  at  this  works  is  done  with  a  Bowser  oil  tank.  The  tank 
is  filled  with  varnish.  The  shells,  with  the  bushings  screwed  in  their 
noses,  are  placed  conveniently  for  the  operator  who  handles  the  Bowser 
tank.     They  are  taken  one  at  a  time  and  placed  under  the  spigot  and 


302 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


the  operator  fills  the  shell  with  varnish.  The  shell  is  then  inverted  over 
screen  for  10  min.,  and  left  to  drain.  The  capacity  of  the  pump  cylinder 
is  such  that  a  single  stroke  of  the  handle  just  fills  the  shell.  The  most 
tedious  part  of  this  method  is  waiting  for  the  shells  to  drain  properly  so 
that  the  film  of  varnish  will  not  be  too  heavy  in  the  bottom  of  the  shells. 
An  objection  to  this  procedure  is  the  excessive  amount  of  cleaning  neces- 
sary after  baking.  By  this  manner  of  varnishing,  five  men  can  screw 
in  the  bushings  and  varnish  3,000  shells  in  10  hr.;  but  the  shells  are  left 
very  dirty  on  the  outside,  and  it  takes  12  men  10  hr.  to  clean  off  the  excess 
of  varnish  from  the  outsides  of  the  3,000  shells. 


Full  Size 

Radius  of  Mead'  ?  Calibers 
Length  of  5hell'Z  81    » 

Diameters 
Over  Body '5 I85*t 0.005'    ,      ^ 
•»   Driving  5and'3381iH0OtS-j^  ^ 
Mean  Windage  »; 

Over  Body  -  O.OlS* 


Stamping 
0.F18PR1 

m 

FS.    I 

* 

+    j 

♦  Contractor's  Initials  or 

recognized  Tr^ade  MarK 
+  Dcxfe  of  Completion 


'tllSlS'Lim'^ 
^■li.MS'LmS' 

]rh23m.ui5'- 


M15\ 


Part  Development  of  Shell 
Showing  Waved  JJibsfrAr^^- 
"Naves).  Three  Chisel  Cuts 
may  be  made  across  the 
Waved  Ribs 


iO  Threads  \l^^ 


per  Inch  R.t1.- 


Detail  X 
Screw  Fixing 

The  Head  is  h  be  concentric  with 
the  true  Longitudinal  Axis  of  Body 
within  a  Limit  of  0025" 
The  inner  face  of  the  screwed 
Base  Plate  may  have  a  Chamber 
not  exceeding  O.OOl"  to  insure 
contact  all  over 
This  Shell  is  liable  to  set  up  nit h 
a  Chamber  Pressure  of  18 
Tons  per  square  Inch 

■Variation  in  Thickness  of 
Wall  not  to  exceed  0.05" 


H004    H.0.77^ 
LOm'  L0.6l''±- 

To  be  cut  off  after '^f^ 
riveting  up-— >i:-''' 
J--\^'-   U5^->\ 
'Plate  Steel  Disk  screwed  14 
Threads  per  Inch  L  H.  Screw 


HOM'   0.14' .unrmis'R. 


-it- 


1.0.54'^'^  ^t.m''-       .Before 
§5  « yv  tPiveting 

^     0.n'-i^-30''0.m"R.'        ^ 

Alternative  Method 
Threads- coated yvifhPetf man  ^f  securing  Base  Plug 
Cement  and  riverea  ^  ^ 


PIG.    228.       HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  18-POUNDER  MARK  III  SHELL 


At  another  works  the  method  is  as  follows:  Each  varnisher  is  pro- 
vided with  an  ordinary  round  varnish  brush.  On  the  end  of  the  brush  is 
a  brass  powder  tube  from  a  shrapnel  shell.  The  thread  of  the  shell  to 
be  varnished  is  protected  by  a  slip  bushing  that  is  instantly  inserted. 
The  varnisher,  with  the  shell  standing  on  its  base  on  the  bench,  dips  the 
brush  in  the  varnish  and  inserts  it  in  the  fuse  hole  in  the  shell.  He  then 
holds  the  brass  powder  tube  between  the  palms  of  his  hands  and,  rubbing 
them  back  and  forth,  causes  the  brush  to  rotate  at  a  fairly  high  speed. 
The  centrifugal  force  thus  set  up  causes  the  bristles  of  the  brush  to  fly 
outward  and  deposit  the  varnish  on  the  sides  of  the  hole  in  the  shell.     At 


Chap.  Ill]  BRITISH  18-POUNDER  HlGH-EXPLOSlVE  SHELLS  303 

the  same  time  that  the  brush  is  caused  to  rotate  as  described,  the  hands 
and  brush  are  reciprocated  up  and  down  so  that  the  varnish  is  evenly 
distributed  all  over  the  inner  surface  of  the  shell.  When  carefully  done, 
no  varnish  is  smeared  on  the  outside  of  the  shell,  which  of  course  eliminates 
the  cleaning  operation  after  the  shells  are  baked.  By  this  method  three 
men  can  varnish  3,000  shells  in  10  hr. 

In  one  of  the  large  factories  in  the  United  States  the  varnishing  depart- 
ment is  laid  out  as  shown  in  Fig.  229  and  run  in  the  following  manner: 
Just  previous  to  varnishing,  the  shells  are  thoroughly  washed  in  gasoline 
in  the  tank  A.     When  taken  from  the  tank,  they  are  placed  on  vertical 


FIG.    229.      LAYOUT   OF   SHOP   USING  VARNISH   SPRAYER 

tubes  D,  projecting  from  the  top  of  the  sheet-iron  box  B,  to  dry.  The 
arrangement  of  the  box  B  is  as  follows:  It  is  made  of  sheet  iron  on  an 
angle-iron  frame  and  is  inclosed  on  all  sides.  Inside  the  box  is  a  series 
of  steam-heating  coils.  Outside  the  box  is  a  motor-driven  blower  C, 
which  drives  air  in  over  the  coils.  The  top  of  the  box  is  perforated  to 
receive  the  short  pipes  D.  The  lower  ends  of  these  pipes  open  to  the  hot- 
air  space  in  the  box;  and  the  upper  ends,  to  the  atmosphere.  All  the 
air  that  passes  into  the  box  from  the  blower  must  pass  out  through  these 
pipes. 

At  E  is  the  varnishing  machine  made  by  the  Spray  Engineering  Co., 
of  Boston,  Mass.  The  operation  of  varnishing  with  this  outfit  is  as 
follows :  By  the  time  the  pipes  D  are  all  filled  with  shells  the  first  shell  is 
not  only  dry,  but  has  attained  a  temperature  of  approximately  150  deg. 
F.  and  is  ready  for  varnishing.  The  operator  of  the  varnishing  machine 
has  two  helpers  to  assist  him.  A  hot  shell  is  taken  by  the  first  helper 
from  a  pipe  D  and  placed  nose  down  on  the  table  of  the  varnishing 
machine.  The  varnisher  lifts  it  and  places  it  over  the  spraying  nozzle. 
The  mechanism  that  does  the  actual  varnishing  is  an  atomizer,  the 
nozzle  of  which  is  vertically  disposed.  Surrounding  the  nozzle  is  a  sheet- 
metal  bushing  that  is  small  enough  in  diameter  to  enter  the  fuse  hole  in 


304 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


the  shell.  It  is  of  sufficient  length  adequately  to  protect  the  thread  in 
the  fuse  hole  from  the  atomized  varnish. 

In  some  cases  the  weight  of  the  shell  opens  the  air  valve  of  the  at- 
omizer; in  others  the  valve  is  operated  by  a  foot  lever.  In  either  case  the 
time  consumed  is  very  short.  The  atomizing  nozzle  sprays  the  varnish 
over  the  inner  surface  of  the  shell  so  evenly  and  in  such  accurate  quantity 
that,  while  the  surface  is  entirely  covered,  there  is  no  excess  or  dribbles 
of  varnish.  The  shell  is  removed,  and  the  second  helper  places  it  in  the 
tray  F,  which  takes  the  shells  to  the  baking  ovens.  In  the  meantime  the 
first  helper  has  another  shell  ready.  With  this  outfit  one  varnisher  can 
varnish  2,500  shells  in  10  hr. 

Another  method  of  varnishing,  employed  in  one  of  the  large  shops 
in  the  United  States,  also  uses  an  atomizer.     The  device  was  made  at 


FIG.    230.      VARNISH   ATOMIZER   FOR   INSIDES    OF   SHELL 

the  works,  where  they  have  had  a  great  deal  of  experience  in  varnishing 
and  lacquering  brass  goods.  Just  before  varnishing  in  this  factory  the 
shells  are  cleaned  in  hot  caustic  soda,  after  which  they  pass  through 
two  washings  in  boiling  water  to  remove  all  traces  of  the  caustic  soda. 
They  go  direct  from  the  last  boiling-water  bath  to  the  varnishing  opera- 
tion and  are  so  hot  (approximately  150  deg.  F.)  that  the  varnisher  has 
to  protect  his  hands  with  gloves. 

On  the  bench  G,  Fig.  230,  is  the  fixture  H,  which  has  two  rollers  I 
about  3  in.  in  diameter  and  6  in.  long.  The  operator  takes  a  shell  with 
his  right  hand  and  lays  it  on  the  rollers  /.  In  his  left  hand  he  holds  the 
atomizer  J.  The  atomizer  has  a  long  nozzle  which  the  operator  enters 
in  the  nose  of  the  shell.  The  valve  of  the  atomizer  is  controlled  by  the 
thumb  of  the  left  hand.  The  atomizer  is  operated  by  air  at  90  lb.,  from 
the  shop  compressed-air  service.  While  the  varnish  is  being  sprayed  in 
the  shell  from  the  atomizer  held  in  the  left  hand,  the  operator's  right 
hand  keeps  the  shell  rotating  on  the  rollers.  As  the  work  is  in  plain 
view  of  the  operator  and  the  atomizer  valve  is  under  control  of  his  left 
thumb,  no  bushing  is   used  or  necessary  to  protect  the  thread.     By 


Chap.  Ill]  BRITISH  18-POUNDER  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  305 

this  method  one  man  can  varnish  1,000  shells  in  10  hr.  The  work  is 
very  good,  the  number  of  rejects  for  poor  varnishing  amounting  to  only 
1  per  cent. 

After  varnishing,  at  the  Dominion  Bridge  Works,  the  shells  are  placed 
in  steel  racks  accommodating  77  shells  each.  The  racks  are  stacked  and 
trucked  to  the  drying  ovens  in  which  they  are  subjected  to  a  temperature 
of  300  deg.  F.  for  6  hr.  (operation  34).  The  ovens  are  heated  by  the  hot 
gases  from  Bunsen  burners,  situated  at  the  bottom. of  the  furnaces,  circu- 
lating through  thin  sheet-iron  ducts  that  entirely  cover  the  floor,  sides 
and  roof  on  the  inside  of  the  ovens. 

In  another  shop,  the  shells  are  heated  to  350  deg.  F.  before  the  varnish 
is  applied.     This  treatment  gives  fairly  good  results. 

The  varnish  adhering  to  the  outside  of  the  shells  is  then  removed  with 
scrapers,  waste,  etc.,  and  the  temporary  bushing  which  was  inserted  to 
protect  the  threads  of  the  fuse-hole  removed — operation  35. 

The  fuse-hole  is  next  hand-tapped  to  finished  size,  the  shells  being 
held  in  cast-iron  hinged  chucks,  and  mounted  on  stout  posts  set  in  the 
floor  of  the  shop.  Adjustable  taps  are  used  and  give  fair  satisfaction. 
Ordinary  tap  wrenches  are  used  with  either  type  of  taps,  and  a  man 
can  tap  about  30  fuse  holes  per  hour. 

After  tapping,  the  shells  are  trucked  to  the  Government  inclosure  to 
undergo  the  final  Government  inspection.  The  finished  shells  weigh 
14  lb.  13  oz.  23-^  dr.,  with  an  allowance  of  plus  1  oz.  3  dr.  or  minus  2  oz. 
5  dr.  The  operations  for  the  final  Government  inspection  are  enumerated 
in  Table  3.  Shells  that  are  found  correct  are  stamped  with  the  inspectors' 
work  marks  in  the  following  manner. 

A  work  mark  is  placed  immediately  below  the  fuse  hole  to  indicate 
correctness  of  the  fuse-hole  examination,  gaging  and  external  examina- 
tion. The  serviceable  sign  is  stamped  above  it  to  signify  the  correctness 
of  the  final  examination  and  external  gaging.  The  serviceable  sign, 
which  is  the  British  broad  arrow  with  a  C,  will  not,  however,  be  stamped 
until  results  of  the  proof  and  varnish  tests  are  received.  While  awaiting 
receipt  of  these,  the  shells  may  be  painted.  Reports  on  the  preliminary 
and  final  inspections  are  kept  on  forms  supplied  by  the  Government. 

From  each  consignment  of  varnish  and  paint  that  the  contractor 
proposes  to  use,  one-quarter  pint  is  taken  by  the  inspector,  put  in  bottles 
supplied  for  the  purpose  and  forwarded  by  express  to  the  Government 
analyst. 

Varnish  is  also  scraped  from  varnished  shells.  A  sample  at  least  J^  oz. 
in  weight  must  be  obtained,  and  this  governs  five  lots  of  shells.  The 
contractor  is  not  informed  from  which  shells  scrapings  are  to  be  taken. 

All  samples — Hquid  varnish  and  scrapings — must  be  clearly  labeled. 
The  label  for  the  liquid  sample  shows  the  firm  which  supplied  the  varnish, 
the  firm  which  received  it,  the  amount  of  the  consignment  and  the  date 

20 


306  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  [Sec.  II 

received.  The  bottles  containing  the  scrapings  are  labeled  to  show  the 
name  of  the  firm,  the  lot  or  lots  from  which  the  sample  is  actually  taken 
and  the  lots  which  will  be  governed  by  the  sample. 

Table  3.     Instructions  for  Final  Inspection  of  18-pounder 
High-explosive  Shells 

No.  of  OriPratmn  ^^^  Cent. 

Operation  Operation  ^^  g^  j^^^^^, 

13*  Testing  base  plate  for  looseness 100 

14  Screw-gage  fuse  hole,  high  and  low 100 

15  Examination  of  screw  threads  in  fuse  hole 100 

IGf  Depth  of  recess  in  fuse  hole Optional 

17  Diameter  and  angle  of  recess 100 

18  Internal  examination  for  flaws  and  varnish 100 

19  Weight 100 

20  Width  of  driving  band  and  distance  from  base 100 

21  Form  of  driving  band 100 

22  Distance  of  fixing  screw  hole 100 

23  Hammer  test,  driving  band 100 

24  Form  and  radius  of  head 100 

25  Cylinder  gage 100 

26  Length  over  all 100 

27  Examination  of  markings  on  body  and  base t.  100 

28  Examination  of  heat  number 100 

29 1  Diameter  rear  part  of  driving  band 100 

30  Diameter  driving  band,  high  and  low 100 

31  Greasing  and  fixing  plugs  and  setscrews 100 

32  Ring-gage  diameter  over  paint 100 

The  results  of  the  analysis  are  reported  to  the  inspection  office  at 
Quebec,  which  notifies  the  manufacturers  when  the  lots  successfully 
pass  the  final  Government  proof  and  varnish  tests. 

When  scraping  the  varnish  from  the  shells,  the  following  points  are 
to  be  strictly  attended  to : 

1.  The  nose  of  the  shell  down  to  2  in.  from  the  fuse  hole  outside  and 
also  the  threads  are  to  be  wiped  clean  with  a  clean  piece  of  rag  or  waste. 

2.  The  scraper  is  to  be  in  a  polished  and  bright  condition  and  kept 
for  this  purpose  only. 

3.  The  examiner  is  to  have  clean  hands. 

4.  The  paper  on  which  the  scrapings  of  varnish  are  collected  is  to 
be  clean  and  is  not  to  have  been  previously  handled. 

5.  There  must  be  no  steel  in  the  scraped  samples. 

As  it  is  practically  impossible  to  scrape  varnish  off  the  surface  of  the 
shell  without  scraping  some  of  the  steel,  the  fifth  requirement  has  given 
the  inspectors  some  trouble. 

*  This  test  will  be  made  by  the  inspector  in  the  open  shop  as  soon  as  the  base 
plate  has  been  inserted  and  machined  off.  f  The  forming  of  the  recess  in  the  fuse  hole 
is  itself  optional.  J  All  shells  that  measure  3.286  in.  or  over  are  marked  with  a  cross 
in  green  paint  below  the  driving  band.  In  the  loading  station  these  shells  are  fitted 
to  cases  that  are  large  in  the  mouth. 


Chap.  Ill]  BRITISH  18-POUNDER  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  307 


308  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  [Sec.  II 

Having  passed  the  final  inspection  the  shells  are  trucked  to  the  paint- 
ing department.  The  painting  machines  are  driven  by  friction  cones 
mounted  on  shafts  instead  of  being  belt  driven  from  small  individual 
motors.  The  arrangement  of  the  friction-driven  painting  machine  is 
shown  in  Fig.  231.  A  single  motor  and  a  system  of  shafts  and  friction 
cones  drive  the  six  painting  machines  in  this  department.  At  A  is  a 
shaft  that  is  driven  from  a  small  motor.  At  B  are  the  friction  cones,  and 
at  C,  on  the  end  of  the  vertical  shaft  from  the  friction  cones  B,  is  the  paint- 
ing machine,  or  turntable.  A  small  vertical  flange  is  provided  on  the 
upper  surface  of  the  turntable,  to  retain  the  shell  and  prevent  it  from 
being  thrown  off.  The  priming  coat  is  white  and  is  made  up  from  the 
following  ingredients  in  the  proportions  given: 

Dry  zinc  oxide,  free  from  lead,  9%  lb.;  boiled  linseed  oil,  free  from 
lead,  1J4  pints;  terebene,  free  from  lead,  l}i  pints;  spirits  of  turpentine, 
IJ^  pints.  It  is  of  the  utmost  importance  that  the  ingredients  employed 
in  the  manufacture  of  paints  for  high-explosives  shells  be  entirely  free 
from  lead. 

The  actual  work  of  painting  is  done  by  boys  in  the  following  manner : 
Referring  to  Fig.  231,  a  boy  takes  a  shell  D  from  the  truck  tray  and  places 
it  on  the  turntable  C  of  the  painting  machine.  The  paint  is  applied  with 
an  ordinary  flat  brush  E  about  2  in.  wide,  which  is  dipped  into  the  paint 
and  traversed  up  and  down  over  the  body  of  the  shell,  which  rotates 
with  the  turntable.  Care  is  exercised  to  keep  the  paint  from  getting  on 
the  copper  band  and  also  to  keep  the  film  of  paint  from  being  too  thick, 
as  the  painted  shells  must  later  pass  through  a  ring  gage. 

As  the  boys  finish  the  painting,  others  take  the  shells  carefully  and 
stand  them  on  their  noses  on  a  bench.  When  in  this  position,  shown  at 
G,  Fig.  231,  the  bottom  of  the  shell  base  is  painted  with  the  priming  coat. 
Again  the  shells  are  carefully  lifted,  so  as  to  remove  as  little  of  the  paint 
as  possible,  and  stood  nose  down,  as  shown  at  H,  in  the  hot  cupboard. 
This  is  of  wood,  and  at  the  bottom  is  a  steam-heating  coil.  Above  are 
several  sheet-steel  shelves  perforated  so  that  the  heat  from  the  coil  at 
the  bottom  can  circulate  freely  through  the  whole  cupboard.  Each 
compartment  will  accommodate  an  entire  series.  The  shells  are  stood 
in  the  cupboard  as  close  as  they  will  go  without  touching.  They  remain 
there  till  they  are  dry,  which  under  normal  conditions  takes  about  an 
hour.  The  cupboards  are  provided  with  doors  on  both  sides,  so  that  the 
boys  who  put  on  the  second  coat  of  paint  can  take  the  shells  direct  from 
their  own  side. 

The  finish-painting  department,  where  the  second  coat  is  applied,  is 
laid  out  in  exactly  the  same  manner  and  has  the  same  equipment.  The 
paint  used  for  the  second  coat  on  the  18-pounder  high-explosive  shell  is 
yellow.  It  consists  of  dry  Oxford  yellow  stone  ocher,  SJ-^  lb.;  boiled 
linseed  oil,  free  from  lead,  IJ^  pints;  terebene,  free  from  lead,  2J^  pints; 


Chap.  Ill]  BRITISH  18-POUNDER  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


309 


spirits  of  turpentine,  1}4  pints.  It  is  applied  in  exactly  the  same  way 
as  the  first  coat,  with  this  exception:  The  first-coated  shells  are  taken 
by  a  boy,  who  places  them  on  the  turntable  of  the  painting  machine. 
With  a  steel  gage  he  then  scribes  two  parallel  lines  an  inch  apart  around 
the  body  of  the  shell.  After  the  yellow  paint  has  been  applied  to  the 
parts  of  the  shell  above  and  below  the  lines  D,  a  band  of  green  paint  is 


K 

i      . 

m 

-—4 

.-> 

Green 
Band 

— ^ 

_ 

— : 

=  : 

^^^^^ 

m\ 

FIG.    232.      LOCATION  OF   GREEN  BAND 


applied  between  them.  This  green  band  of  paint  signifies  that  this  is 
the  18-pounder  high-explosive  shell  and  not  the  18-pounder  shrapnel. 

Six  boys  on  first-coat  painting  will  average  15  series  in  10  hr. — that  is, 
2,750  shells  in  10  hr.,  or  approximately  46  shells  per  boy  per  hour.  On 
the  second-coat  painting,  owing  to  the  extra  work  necessary  because  of 
the  green  band,  8  boys  are  employed,  and  on  this  work  the  8  boys  will 
average  the  same  as  the  6  on  the  priming  coat — 15  series  in  10  hr. 

The  drawing.  Fig.  232,  shows  the  official  location  of  the  green  band 
on  the  shell  body. 


FIG.    233.       TWO   TYPES   OF  PLUGS   AND   A  WOODEN   GAINE 

After  the  second  coat  is  thoroughly  dry,  the  shells  are  taken  to  the 
bench  to  have  the  temporary  plugs  and  fixing  screws  inserted.  The 
plugs  are  made  of  cast  iron;  and  to  prevent  their  rusting,  they  are  plated 
with  zinc,  copper  or  nickel.  Two  shapes  of  plugs  are  in  common  use; 
these  are  shown  in  Fig.  233.  The  one  at  B  is  fitted  with  a  wooden  gaine 
C.  This  wooden  gaine  fits  a  cylindrical  recess  in  the  lyddite  explosive 
charge,  which  later  accommodates  the  steel  gaine  that  is  screwed  into 
the  adapter  in  the  fuse. 


310  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  [Sec.  11 

These  cast-iron  plugs  are  bored,  concentric  with  the  thread  on  the 
outside,  for  the  reception  of  the  large  er|,d  of  the  wooden  gaine.  The  hole 
in  the  plug  is  about  1 J^  in.  in  diameter,  1  in.  deep.  The  large  part  of  the 
gaine  is  required  to  be  a  snug  push-fit  in  this  hole.  When  the  gaine  is 
pushed  to  the  bottom  of  the  hole,  a  Ke-in.  hole  is  drilled  through 
the  plug  and  gaine  at  right  angles  to  their  axes  and  about  %  in. 
from  the  face  of  the  plug.  Into  this  hole  a  steel  pin  is  driven,  to 
prevent  the  gaine  from  being  accidentally  pulled  out.  The  pin  is  made 
shorter  than  the  diameter  of  the  plug,  so  that,  when  driven  into  the  hole, 
both  of  its  ends  are  below  the  bottom  of  the  thread  on  the  outside  of  the 
plug. 

The  wooden  gaines  are  usually  made  of  beechwood.  After  being 
turned  on  a  back-knife  lathe,  they  are  given  a  coat  of  shellac  varnish, 
as  required  by  the  specifications.  The  wood  for  gaines  should  be  well 
seasoned  and  absolutely  dry. 

The  small  grub  screws  in  the  nose  of  the  shell  are  called  fixing  screws. 
They  are  J<i  in.  in  diameter,  and  their  function  is  to  hold  the  plug  from 
turning  and  to  prevent  its  being  lost.  After  the  plug  is  removed  and 
the  fuse  screwed  into  the  nose  of  the  shell,  the  fixing  screw  is  tightened 
down  on  it. 

The  plugs  are  screwed  in  with  the  wrench,  which  fits  a  square  hole  in 
them.  The  grub  screws  are  put  in  with  a  screwdriver.  There  is  a 
leather  washer  between  the  nose  of  the  shell  and  the  flange  of  the  plug. 
Both  the  fixing  screws  and  the  plugs  are  luted  with  the  Government 
luting  compound. 

The  luting  consists  of  80  parts  of  whiting  and  21  parts  of  oil,  both 
by  weight,  kept  fluid  by  heating.  The  materials  must  be  of  the  finest 
quality.  The  oil  is  20  parts  vaseline  and  1  part  castor  oil,  well  mixed 
before  it  is  added  to  the  whiting.  The  vaseline  is  to  be  a  genuine  mineral- 
oil  residue,  without  any  foreign  mixture.  It  should  have  a  fiash  point 
not  below  400  deg.  F.,  a  melting  point  not  below  86  deg.  F.  and  be  free 
from  solid  mineral  matter.  The  castor  oil  must  be  genuine.  The  whiting 
is  to  be  of  the  quality  known  as  ''Town  Whiting"  and  is  to  be  free  from 
moisture. 

The  luting  must  be  thoroughly  mixed,  plastic  and  free  from  lumps. 
If  on  examination  of  a  sample  of  10  per  cent,  of  the  invoice,  it  is  found  that 
the  sample  does  not  comply  with  the  specification,  all  the  material 
invoices  will  be  rejected  without  further  examination.  The  luting  may 
be  inspected  during  the  manufacture  by,  and  after  delivery  will  be  sub- 
jected to  test  and  to  the  final  approval  of,  the  chief  inspector.  Royal 
Arsenal,  Woolwich,  or  an  officer  deputed  by  him. 

With  the  plugs  luted  and  screwed  home  and  the  fixing  screws  set  up 
tight,  the  shells  are  ready  to  pack. 

Throughout  manufacture,  an  accurate  record  is  kept  of  all  shells  by 


Chap.  Ill]  BRITISH  18-POUNDER  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  311 

heat  numbers  until  they  are  made  up  into  selected  series,  in  the  nine- 
teenth operation,  and  after  every  important  operation  by  standard  stamps 
signifying  approval.  Without  this  stamp,  which  must  be  put  on  each 
shell  after  inspection,  no  subsequent  operation  may  be  performed.  This 
rule  allows  of  no  exception. 

The  standard  stamps  which  appear  on  all  passed  shells  are  as  follows : 


L3 

L4. 

P 

-~->S(^ 

u 

/I 
/  1 
\  1 

M- 

Lb 

LI 


LQ  ,19 


L7 


II 


LIS 


L17 

■•--> 


^L20 

i  i" 


B 


Standard  Stamps  for  Operations  on  the  18-pounder  High-explosive  Shell 

a  Deseription  Stamp,  In 

Mill  base  thread K  e 

Drill  }'i  in.  ^  hole . .  none 

Tap  }i  in.  (f>  hole . .  none 

Screw  in  base  plugs .  none 

Saw  off  square  end  .  none 

Rough  face  plug none 

Rivet  or  roll  plug.  }i 

Finish  face  plug ....       }i 

Band  press none 

Band  turn 3^6 


Operation 

Description 

Stamp,  In. 

Operati 

LI 

Drill  11^6  in.  0  hole 

Va 

Lll 

L2 

Center 

\i 

L12 

L3 

Rough  turn  body 

H 

L13 

L4 

Rough  turn  nose 

Va 

L14 

L5 

Face  base 

H 

L15 

L6 

Bore,  ream  and  tap  inside . 

He 

L16 

L7 

Finish  turn 

Va 

L17 

L8 

Face   base   round    corners 

and  rough  groove 

Vs 

L18 

L9 

Wave  and  undercut 

M 

L19 

LIO 

Recess  base 

Va 

L20 

All  men,  whether  on  piece  work  or  daywork,  must  stamp  all  shells  as  shown  above. 


CHAPTER  IV 
MANUFACTURING  BRITISH  4.5-IN.  HIGH -EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS^ 

The  British  4.5-in.  high-explosive  shell  is  made  from  a  steel  forging 
and  the  operations  employed  by  the  Canadian  Allis-Chalmers  Co.  in 
converting  the  rough  forged  blank  into  a  finished  shell  ready  for  loading 
represents  an  efficiently  developed  system  of  manufacture. 

This  company  overhauled  its  entire  plant;  designed  and  built  new 
tools;  conducted  much  preliminary  experimental  work  and  produced 
a  satisfactory  sample  shell  before  undertaking  any  contracts  for  the 
British  Government. 

By  careful  planning,  the  Canadian  Allis-Chalmers  Co.  was  enabled 
to  resolve  the  production  of  the  shells  into  27  main  operations,  including 
thorough  shop  inspection,  the  final  government  inspection,  painting  the 
shells  and  packing  them  for  shipment.  The  sequence  of  operations  and 
descriptive  sketches  of  the  principle  ones  are  as  follows : 

Sequence  of  Operations 

1.  Cutting  off  the  rough  forgings. 

2.  Facing  ends  of  forgings. 

3.  Rough-turning  outside  of  shell. 

4.  Finishing  outside  of  shell. 

5.  Finishing  inside  of  shell  and  facing  open  end. 

6.  Nosing. 

7.  Boring,  reaming,  facing  nose  to  length  and  profile  boring  inside  of  nose. 

8.  Tapping  nose  of  shell  for  socket. 

9.  Form  turning  outside  of  shell  to  finished  size. 

10.  First  shop  inspection. 

11.  Boring  to  weight. 

12.  Threading  the  base-plate  recess. 

13.  Cleaning  and  sand  blasting. 

14.  Turning  and  threading  base  plate. 

15.  Screwing  in  base  plate. 

16.  Rough-facing  base  plate. 

17.  Riveting  base  plate. 

18.  Finish-turning  base. 

19.  Screwing  in  socket. 

20.  Turning  the  socket. 

21.  Banding. 

22.  Varnishing  inside  of  shell. 

23.  Baking  varnish. 

24.  Turning  drive  band. 

25.  Final  government  inspection. 

26.  Painting. 

27.  Packing. 

^  E.  A.  Suverkrop,  Associate  Editor,  American  Machinist. 

312 


Chap.  IV] 


BRITISH  4.5-IN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


313 


-'^n 

r'T^-'Tyn;: 

1        1 

m- 

I  A  1 

•' 

j           i 

■m 

1     I      1 

, 

^m. 

!    i    ! 

!        1 
1        j 

» 

1  ^fte 

!        ! 

m:^ 

1  ^  1 

, 

4^«?|. 

1    :    1 
I    :    1 

•■:, 

w 

'■'iiiii'/- 

i  i  \ 

t 

m. 

\\l 

• 

Y 

^^NoHes^fhanJ 

i', 

(^ 


(^ 


i 
? 


./2f 


CZJf 


Afar  A  GageUne 

on  movable  Pan 

here 


.  .  Mark  Oage  L/ne 
^  /  on  Bat  here 


"^ 


Sec+ion  A-A 
OPERATION    L       CUTOFF 

Machines  Used — Davis  cutting-off  machines  with  front  and  back  tools  A. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — None. 

Gages — Depth  gage  B  or  gage  which  forms  part  of  the  machine. 

Production  from  one  machine  and  operator,  20  per  hr. 

Note — Soap  water  to  lubricate  the  cut. 


I 

I: 


x: 


m 


^2S^^2;^SSS2SS^^Z^^222222^Z^^Z^^^^Z^2ZZ 


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 


OPERATION   2.      FACE    ENDS    OF   FORCINGS 

Machine  Used — Bertram  boring  mill  with  2  tools,  B,  in  each  head. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Circular  chucking  fixture  A  to  hold  30  forgings. 
Special  tool-holders  to  hold  two  tools,  one  behind  the  other,  so  spaced  that  the  one  is 
taking  a  chip  while  the  other  is  in  the  space  between  forgings. 

Gages — Height  blocks  to  set  tools  from  face  C. 

Production — One  man  and  helper  (for  loading  and  unloading  only),  30  per  hr. 


314 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


/ — \^ 

r\ 

<j-^  8'k 

* 

1    [ 

1    I 

OPERATION 


ROUGH    TURN    OUTSIDE 


Machines  Used — Engine  lathes,  24  to  36  in  swing. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Expanding  mandrel  A  driven  by  bolts  in  holes  B, 
which  hold  it  to  lathe  face  plate.     Tools  C  located  to  each  cut  half  the  length  of  work. 
Gages — Snap-gage  D. 
Production — From  one  machine  and  one  operator,  8  to  9  per  hour. 


Chap.  IV] 


BRITISH  4.5-lN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


315 


f 

;'      \ 

J 

1    i 

i 

} 

!       ! 

1            1 

1 

1         1 

1             I 

!           .,1 

!'-^OperaHon-racin(^  end 
I    O.OSl\ 


■0.7'^U9S'''>\ .gf^Operai-hn -Wav/na  \„  . 


finisUurn  ouf-  1  "^"""e  ^^'^6  ^^P  ^^^^^^ 


side  for  2 j"""^ 


k 

OPERATION  4. 


■Z"-^OperaHon-Rough  furn  for  6^'- -  - -A 

/Bfl ---- 


I         e~  Operation- Bevef 


FINISHING  OUTSIDE   OF  FORGING  READY  FOR  BORING   AND   NOSING 


Machines  Used — Warner  &  Swasey  lathes. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — See  text. 

Production — From  one  machine  and  one  operator,  3  per  hr. 


316 


HIGH-EXPLOSIYE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


OPERATION   5.      FINISH  INSIDE  OP  SHELL  AND   FACE   OPEN  END 

Machine  Used — Steinle,  Davis  and  other  turret  lathes  and  vertical  boring  mills. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Special  collet  chuck  A.  Special  4-flute  chucking 
reamer  and  bar  for  suboperation  1.  Special  flat  2-lip  rough-boring  tool  and  2-lip  taper 
reaming  cutter  and  bar  for  suboperation  2.  Special  2-lip  finish  boring  tool  and  bar 
for  suboperation  3.     Special  2-lip  facing  cutter  and  bar  for  suboperation  4. 

Gages — None,  as  tools  are  made  to  size  and  machine  stops  are  used  for  depths. 

Production — From  single  machine  and  one  operator,  4  per  hour;  double  machine 
and  one  operator,  8  per  hour. 

Note — Soap  water  lubrication  through  tubes  in  boring  bars. 


Chap.  IV] 


BRITISH  4.5-lN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


317 


OPERATION     G.       NOSING 

Machines  Used — Steam  hammer  and  special  hydraulic  forging  press. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Two  special  oil-fired  furnaces.  Special  tongs  for 
handling  the  work.  Overhead  trolley  support  for  tongs  and  work.  Special  top  and 
bottom  dies  for  steam  hammer  and  hydraulic  press.  Workstand  to  facilitate  handUng. 
Annealing  floor.     Trucks  and  tracks  to  machining  department. 

Gages — None. 

Production — Steam  hammer  and  three  men,  4  shells  per  minute.  Press  output 
not  yet  determined. 

Note — Output  is  controlled  by  the  speed  of  the  furnaces. 


->iJnarid5 


OPERATION  7.   BORE,  REAM,  FACE,  NOSE  TO  LENGTH  AND  PROFILE  BORE  INSIDE 

OF  NOSE 

Machine  Used — Engine  lathe. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Collet  chuck  A,  profile  cam  B,  Armstrong  boring  tool 
for  suboperations  1  and  5;  special  boring  bar  for  suboperation  2;  special  reamer  and 
arbor  for  suboperation  3;  special  facing  cutter  and  arbor  for  suboperation  4. 

Gages — Plug  gage  for  hole. 

Production — From  one  machine  and  one  man,  4  per  hr. 

Note — Soap-water  lubricant . 


318 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


n 


OPERATION  8.   TAP  NOSE  OF  SHELL  FOR  SOCKET 

Machine  Used — Radial  drilling  machine. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Special  work  holder  A;  special  tap  B;  special  tap- 
holder  C. 

Gages — Plug  thread  gage. 

Production — From  one  machine  and  one  man,  15  per  hr. 

Note — Soap-water  lubricant. 


c 

>■ —     ^          < 

^ 

■~~ — m ' 

[__ 

i 

(   \ 

^ 

i 

B 

& 

OPERATION    9.      FORM    TURN    OUTSIDE    TO    FINISHED    SIZE 

Machine  Used — Engine  lathe. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Threaded  driving  plug  A,  female  center  B,  former  G. 

Gages — Limit  snap  gage  for  body  size. 

Production — From  one  machine  and  one  man,  4  per  hr. 

Note — Soap-water  lubricant. 


Chap.  IVJ 


BRITISH  4.5.IN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


319 


V  / 


mm^^mm^m^m^m. 


OPERATION  10.      FIRST  SHOP  INSPECTION 


Machine  Used — None. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Weighing  scales. 

Gages — For  diameter  and  shape. 

Production — One  inspector  can  examine  20  shells  per  hr. 


OPERATION  11.   WHICH  IS  NECESSARY  IN  ONLY  ABOUT  50  PER  CENT.  OP  THE  SHELLS 

Machine  Used — Engine  lathe  same  as  in  operation  7,  but  without  turret. 
Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Collet  chuck  A,  profile  cam  B,  Armstrong  boring 
tool  C. 

Gages — None.     Weight  verified  by  scales. 


320 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


OPERATION 


THREADING      THE      BASE-PLATE 


Machines  Used — 2-in.  Jones  &  Lamson  flat  turret  lathes. 
Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Jones  &  Lamson  thread-chasing  attachment, 
in  chuck.     Roller  steadyrest. 

Gages — Thread  gage  of  the  plug  type. 

Production — From  one  man  and  one  machine,  16  per  hour. 


Draw- 


OPERATION     13.      CLEANING     AND    SANDBLASTING 

Machine  Used — Sandblasting  machine. 

Special  Fixtures — Soda  and  hot-water  tanks.     Cast-iron  trays.     Bent  nozzle  A  for 
sandblasting  hose. 
Gages — None. 
Production — One  man  and  one  helper,  100  per  hour. 


Chap.  IV] 


BRITISH  4.5-IN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


321 


\-c:j 


OPERATION   14.      TURN  AND  THREAD  BASE   PLATE 

Machine  Used — Bridgeport  semiautomatic  lathe. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Draw-in  chuck  A.     Turning  tool  B  at  back.     Hand- 
operated  facing  tool  C.     Threading  tool  D  at  front. 
Gages — Ring  type  thread  gage. 


OPERATION    15.      SCREWING    IN   BASE    PLATE 

Machines  Used — None. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Clamp  holder  A  mounted  on  12X12  yellow  pine  post. 
6-ft.  wrench  C. 
Gages — None. 

Production — Two  men  about  15  per  hour. 
Note — Witness  mark  of  Pettman  cement  on  face  of  base  plate. 


im^~        ■  '. -■'  ^ 

N 

■  -  -  - — f\ 

S 

\          1          f 

N^' 

W) 

« 

4i 

k: 

.■j 

1 

:\    / 

i    / 

- 

m 

* 

•3 


OPERATION    16.       ROUGH-FACING  BASE    PLATES 

Machines  Used — Jones  &  Lamson  flat  turret  lathes. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Draw-in  chuck  A,  roller  steadyrest  B,  facing  tool  C. 
Gages — None. 

Production — One  man  and  one  machine  18  per  hr. 

Note — Operation  18  is  practically  a  duplication  in  methods  and  speed  of  this 
operation. 

21 


322 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


k,)IH*^«i 

i^m'.'^T-i 

\  1 

\   I 

OPERATION    17.      RIVET   BASE    PLATE 

Machines  Used — None. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Pneumatic  hammer  A,  guide  ring  B,  cradle  C. 

Gages — None. 

Production — One  man  45  per  hr. 


OPERATION  18.      FINISH-FACING  BASE 

Machines  Used — Jones  &  Lamson  turret  lathes. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Draw-in  chuck,  steadyrest,  facing  tool. 

Production — One  man  and  one  machine,  18  per  hr. 


OPERATION   19.      SCREWING  IN  SOCKETS 

Machine  Used — Back-geared  drilling  machine. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Friction  driver  A,  wedge  and  nut  driver  B,  special 
clamp  holder  C. 

Gages — Plug  thread  gage,  to  test  size  of  socket  after  inserting. 
Production — One  man  and  one  machine  30  per  hr. 


Chap.  IV] 


BRITISH  4.5-IN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


323 


r 


a 


4il 


OPERATION    20.      TURNING    THE    SOCKET 

Machines  Used — Vertical  boring  mills. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Universal  chuck  A  set  central  on  table.     Formed 
tool  B. 

Gages — Radius  gage. 

Production — One  man  and  one  machine  30  per  hr. 


J  \ 

• .  } 

1   \ 

OPERATION  21.      BANDING 

Machine  Used — Hydraulic  banding  press  A. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — None. 

Gages — None. 

Production — From  one  machine  and  two  men,  45  shells  per  hr. 


•^ 

( \ 

1   \ 

i^. 

r  3  ;=  = : 

=  =  =  =  = 

•• 

M^'mM 

A 


"27^//////////////////^,, 


OPERATION    22,      VARNISH    INSIDE 

Machine  Used — None. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Varnish  brush  A;  sheet-metal  bushing  B;  varnish  pot. 

Gages — None. 

Production — From  one  man,  about  30  shells  per  hr. 


324 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


i 


.nnnnnnnnnn 


OPERATION    23,      BAKE    VARNISH 

Machine  Used — None. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Iron  trays  A,  each  for  50  shells;  iron  trucks  B;  steam- 
and  electric-heated  ovens;  thermometer  reading  to  300  deg.;  clock. 
Gage — None. 
Production— From  two  ovens,  about  400  shells  in  8  hr. 


.n  /^' 

^ 

< 

, 

■     , 

4 

' 

)/' 

= 

^ ex 


— -  c  r 


ct. 


OPERATION     24.       TURN     DRIVING     BAND 

Machine  Used — Special  lathe. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Special  chuck  cup  tail-center;  rough-turning  tool  A; 
rough-form  tool  B;  finish-form  tool  C. 

Gages — High  and  low  caliper  gages  and  contour  gages. 
Production — One  machine  and  operator,  20  per  hr. 


OPERATION  25.       FINAL  GOVERNMENT  INSPECTION 

Machine  Used — None. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Weighing  scales;  inspectors'  stamps  and  hammer. 
Gages — Complete  set  to  cover  all  dimensions. 

Production — Five  men  handle  the  entire  inspection  for  about  1,500  shells  per 
week. 


Chap.  IV] 


BRITISH  4.5-IN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


325 


OPERATION  26.       PAINTING 

Machine  Used — Motor-driven  turntable  A. 
Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Paint  brush  B. 
Gage — None. 
Production — One  man,  40  per  hr. 


/ '  1 

u 

4 

OPERATION    27.       PACKING 

Machine  Used — None. 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Screwdriver. 

Gage — None. 

Production — One  man  can  pack  and  close  about  15  cases  per  hr. 

Cutting  Off  the  Rough  Forgings. — The  first  operation  consists  in 
cutting  off  the  ragged  end  of  the  blanks.  The  rough  forgings  are  13% 
in.  (or  over)  in  length,  over  all.  These  go  to  Davis  cutting-off  machines 
which  are  provided  with  gage  rods  rigidly  set  in  sliding  brackets  by 
means  of  setscrews.  The  brackets  slide  on  a  lower  rod  held  in  the  machine 
frame.     An  adjustable  sliding  stop  limits  the  travel  of  the  bracket. 

There  is  considerable  difference  in  the  thicknesses  of  the  bases  of  the 
forgings.  The  minimum  allowance  here  is  1%  in.,  but  some  forgings 
have  bases  over  2  in.  in  thickness.  It  is  obviously  easier  to  machine  the 
excess  metal  from  the  outside  rather  than  from  the  inside,  where  there  is 
difficulty  in  getting  rid  of  the  chips  and  preventing  them  from  crowding 
the  cut.  For  this  reason  the  gaging  of  the  forgings  in  the  cutting-off 
operation  is  done  from  the  inside  of  the  base  outward  toward  the  mouth. 
Two  methods  of  gaging  are  available — the  gage  rod  previously  referred 


326 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


to  and  the  hand  gage.  The  machine  gage  is  operated  as  follows:  The 
gage  rod  is  swung  forward  and  entered  into  the  hole  in  the  forging,  the 
face  of  the  bracket  coming  in  contact  with  the  stop.  The  forging  is  next 
pulled  forward  till  the  extreme  end  of  the  gage  rod  strikes  the  bottom  of 
the  hole.  The  chuck  is  then  tightened  and  the  machine  started.  Two 
tools  are  used,  an  angular  one  at  the  back  to  break  the  chip  for  the  front 
tool.  The  distance  from  the  bottom  of  the  hole  to  the  cutting-off  tool 
is  ll^Ke  in.     Each  machine  can  cut  off  about  20  forgings  an  hour. 

The  feed  of  the  machine  is  by  hand  or  automatic  by  means  of  worm 
and  gear,  i 


FIG.    234.      FACING   JIG  AND   TOOL  HOLDER  FOR  BORING   MILL 


Facing  the  Outside  of  the  Base. — The  next  operation  is  facing  the 
outside  of  the  base.  This  is  done  on  the  8-ft.  Bertram,  boring  mill. 
Details  of  the  fixture  used  are  shown  in  Fig.  234  and  also  in  the  second- 
operation  sketch. 

The  jig  holds  30  forgings.  The  same  locating  point,  the  inside  of  the 
base,  is  used  in  this  operation  as  in  the  previous  one.  The  work  rests  on 
the  pins  A ,  Fig.  234,  and  is  held  by  the  clamps  B.  Four  tools  are  used,  two 
in  each  holder.  The  feed  is  toward  the  center.  Because  of  the  lack  of 
uniformity  in  the  forgings,  as  previously  stated,  the  amount  of  stock  to 
be  removed  varies  from  a  mere  scrape  to  %  in.  depth. 


Chap.  IV] 


BRITISH  4.5-IN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


327 


With  work  of  this  character  the  ordinary  tool  holder  is  very  inefficient 
by  reason  of  the  continual  jolting  as  the  tool  passes  from  piece  to  piece. 
To  overcome  this  difficulty  a  tool  holder  was  made  as  shown  in  detail  in 
Fig.  234.  The  tools  in  this  holder  are  so  spaced,  one  behind  the  other, 
that  one  of  them  is  always  in  the  cut. 

An  entire  fixture  full,  30  pieces,  can  be  faced  off  in  one  hour.  The 
operator  gages  the  depth  of  cut  of  the  lowest,  or  finishing,  tool  from  the 
upper  face  of  the  jig.  The  work  comes  from  this  operation  12J^  in.  long 
outside. 


Tool  5-feeI,^cNi 
•   v^ yr-^-r 

Pin  hardened  here 
Machine  S+eel 


Machine  S+eel  (Hardened) 


7h ->!<• 


Machine  S+eel 
-S' 


o 


§■  -  5  Threads  per  Inch  j/ 
Z^,^  -- 

Machine  S+ee! 
FIG.    235.      DETAILS  OF  EXPANSION   ARBOR 


The  shell  is  now  rough-turned  on  the  outside  in  the  lathe.  The  shell 
is  held  on  an  expanding  mandrel,  as  shown  in  detail  in  Fig.  235  and  the 
third-operation  sketch.     It  is  driven  by  the  collar  driving  dog  B. 

Two  tools  C,  one  at  the  front  and  one  at  the  back,  are  arranged  as 
shown  in  the  operation  sketch.  The  front  tool  starts  its  cut  at  the  middle 
of  the  forging,  while  the  one  at  the  back  starts  at  the  base  end.  The  feed 
is  approximately  J^  in.  and  the  speed,  all  the  tool  will  stand.  As  the 
forged  hole  is  not  concentric,  the  depth  of  cut  is  not  uniform.     In  this 


328 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


operation  the  forging  is  reduced  to  4%  in.  diameter.  The  output  is  from 
8  to  9  per  hour  for  each  lathe. 

Warner  &  Swasey  hollow  hexagon  lathes  are  employed  on  the  fourth 
operation,  with  an  hourly  output  of  3  shells  per  machine.  This  operation 
consists  of  10  suboperations. 

One  of  these  lathes  is  shown  in  Fig.  236,  the  photograph  for  which 
was  taken  from  an  elevation  so  as  to  show  all  the  tools,  with  the  exception 
of  the  roller  turner. 

The  work  A,  as  in  the  previous  operation,  is  chucked  on  an  expanding 
mandrel  B.     But  in  this  set-up  the  flange  of  the  expanding  mandrel  is 


1 

1                    "           ■ 

FIG.  236.   WARNER  &  SWASEY  TURRET  ARRANGED  FOR  FOURTH  OPERATION 


bolted  to  the  waving  cam  C,  secured  to  the  face-plate.  Three  tools  are 
mounted  in  the  turret  tool-post  on  the  cross-slide  and  five  tools  and  a  cup 
center  are  secured  to  the  six  faces  of  the  hexagonal  turret. 

With  the  exception  of  the  formed  tool,  marked  7  in  the  operation 
sketch,  the  tools  in  the  cross-slide  turret  are  simple  ones  forged  from 
high-speed  steel  and  ground  to  shape  on  an  ordinary  tool  grinder. 

Facing  the  Base. — The  operator  faces  the  base  end  of  the  shell  with 
the  tool  for  suboperation  1 .  The  cross-slide  is  then  run  toward  the  waving 
cam,  out  of  the  way  of  the  next  operation.  The  roller  turner  for  sub- 
operations  2  and  3  is  brought  to  working  position  and  the  shell  is  rough- 
turned  for  about  SJ'^  in.  (suboperation  2). 

The  turret  is  returned  and  the  tool  set  in  to  finish  to  turning  size. 
The  shell  is  then  turned  to  finished  size  (suboperation  3)  for  about  2J^  in." 
The  turret  is  indexed  and  the  flat  tool  D,  Fig.  236,  roughs  the  recess  for 
the  base  plate  (suboperation  4) .  This  tool  is  provided  with  three  rollers 
A,  Fig.  237,  to  support  the  base  of  the  shell  during  the  recessing  operation. 


Chap.  IV] 


BRITISH  4.5-IN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


329 


330 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


<- 

■■^'- ^ 

-.vfir::: 

v:;:"":r;a:" 

r-- 
J~~«*»~-~~j^ 

m  i  1  T 

'^  i  j m^' 

ill                          1                             L. 

CASTIRON 


RADIUS  TOOL  FOR  ED6E  OP  BASE- 
FIG.    238.      KECESSING   AND   KADIUS  TOOL  FOR  SHELL  BASES 


Chap.  IV] 


BRITISH  4.5-IN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


331 


These  rollers  are  mounted  on  eccentric  studs  so  that  they  can  be  adjusted 
should  the  work  vary  in  size. 


ALL  MACHINE  STEEL 


-2.IS6?' 


.} 
^^" 


}<-^./i6^-|j[||||j[| >j       ^ 

mTuiLU4--l4J-l-frrrHHHu.iiiiriiM ^ 


TOOL  STEEL 

(Hardened) 


FIG.    239.      UNDERCUTTING   TOOL   AND    TOOL   HOLDER   FOR  BASE    OF   SHELL 


i 



_l_L__L4-. 

^  1  ||i|i|i|i! 

i__ 

High  Speed  Steel     K- 1.195'^ 
FIG.    240.      TOOL  HOLDER  AND  TOOL  STOCK  FOR  ROUGHING   OUT  FOR  WAVING 

The  finish  recessing  tool  for  suboperation  5  is  a  simple  tool  of  square 
high-speed  steel  shown  at  E  in  Fig.  236  and  in  the  detail  Fig.  238.     A 


332 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


square  hole  is  provided  in  the  holder  which  holds  a  tool  for  rounding  the 
bottom  edge  of  the  shell  at  the  same  time  the  finish  recessing  is  done. 
When  in  use  the  radius  tool  is  mounted  in  the  stationary  steadying  ring. 
The  recess-finishing  tool  is  mounted  in  a  hand-operated  cross-slide. 

The  sixth  suboperation  is  performed  with  a  hand-operated  eccentric 
undercutting  tool  shown  at  F,  Fig.  236,  and  in  Fig.  239. 


TOOL  STEEL 
(Hardened,  14  F/uies) 


TOOL  STEEL 

(Hardened) 


FIG.    241. 


MILLING     CUTTER    FOR    ROUGHING-OUT    TOOL    AND    TOOL    FOR    MAKING     IT 
CAST  IRON  ^^TOOL  STEEL  (Hordened)  C^  MACHINE  STEEL 


FIG.    242.       FEMALE    OR    CUP    CENTER    FOR    WAVING    AND    UNDERCUTTING 

The  seventh  suboperation  is  performed  with  the  formed  tool  in  the 
cross-slide  turret  tool  post  shown  at  (r,  Fig.  236,  and  in  the  detail.  Fig.  240. 

The  roughing-out  tools  to  prepare  the  work  for  waving  are  manufac- 
tured from  high-speed  steel  in  12-in.  lengths  and  cut  to  suitable  lengths 
for  the  tool  holders. 


Chap.  IV] 


BRITISH  4.5-lN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


333 


In  Fig.  241  are  shown  in  detail  the  milHng  cutter  for  making  the 
roughing  tools  and  the  tool  for  making  the  cutter. 

The  eighth  suboperation  is  performed  with  a  forged-steel  tool  held  in 
the  turret  tool  post  in  the  cross-slide.  It  is  %  in.  wide,  ground  at  an 
angle  so  that  the  advance  edge  is  flush  with  the  4%-in.  diameter 
of  the  work  and  the  rear  edge  flush  with  the  diameter  to  which  the  work 
was  roughed  in  the  second  suboperation. 

For  the  ninth  and  tenth  suboperations — waving  and  undercutting 
the  wave  groove  respectively — the  cup  center  H,  Fig.  236,  is  used  to 
support  the  work.     The  cup  center  is  shown  in  detail  in  Fig.  242. 

Waving  and  undercutting  are  done  by  a  combination  fixture  of  excep* 
tionally  clever  design. 


i 

1 

1 

/  /          II 

'  /         j   ,   p                 ' 

If- 

J 

1 

J 

CLofLafhe 
5p'ind/e 

CAST  IRON 


FIG.    243.      BRACKET   FOR    WAVING    TOOL    ON    WARNER    «fe    SWASEY    LATHES 


Description  of  Waving  Fixture. — The  supporting  bracket  (Fig.  243) 
of  the  fixture  is  a  single  casting  fitted  and  bolted  securely  to  two  of  the 
faces  of  the  hexagonal  turret. 

The  cup  center  B.  is  bolted  to  one  of  the  wings  of  the  supporting  bracket, 
and  thus  forms  practically  a  part  of  the  fixture  itself.  The  bracket  A 
is  bolted  to  two  faces  of  the  turret.     On  it  is  a  machined  slide  for  the 


334 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


member  B,  which  is  operated  toward  or  from  the  lathe  center  Hne  by  the 
screw  C.  This  is  in  turn  actuated  by  a  socket  crank  in  the  hands  of  the 
operator.  The  member  B  is  bored  lengthwise  of  the  lathe,  to  receive 
the  plunger  D. 

The  plunger  D  is  splined  to  prevent  turning  and  has  a  square  hole  in 
it  for  the  reception  of  the  shank  of  the  waving  tool  holder  E.  The  tool 
holder  E  passes  through  an  elongated  slot  in  the  member  B,  of  sufficient 
width  to  permit  of  the  necessary  movement  lengthwise  of  the  lathe  for 
producing  the  wave.  An  elongated  hole  is  also  provided  at  the  top  for 
similar  traverse  of  the  setscrew  F,  which  is  tapped  into  the  plunger  D 


FIG.    244.      VIEW  OF  CUP  CENTER  AND  WAVING  AND  UNDERCUTTING  ATTACHMENT 


and  binds  the  tool-holder  E  therein.  At  the  end  nearest  the  lathe  head 
and  waving  cam,  the  plunger  D  is  bored  to  receive  the  shank  of  the 
roller  holder  G.  This  shank  is  threaded  and  provided  with  a  nut  for 
endwise  adjustment,  and  is  kept  from  turning  in  D  by  a  key  and  key  way. 
The  other  end  of  D  is  backed  up  by  a  heavy  double  helical  spring  to  keep 
the  roller  against  the  cam  ring  while  the  fixture  is  in  use. 

The  Undercutting  Member. — Hinged  to  the  member  B  is  the  under- 
cutting attachment  /,  which  in  Fig.  244  is  shown  in  working  position. 
The  member  I  is  provided  with  a  bushing  which  when  in  line  with  and 
locked  by  the  pin  K,  holds  the  undercutting  attachment  in  working  posi- 
tion. While  the  waving  attachment  is  in  use  the  lower  edge  of  the 
member  I  is  thrown  up  and  rests  on  the  pin  K, 


Chap.  IV]  BRITISH  4.5-IN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  335 

Referring  to  Fig.  244,  two  slots  machined  in  the  member  I  meet  at 
the  opening  L.  In  these  slots  two  tool-holders  are  fitted  so  that  they  will 
slide  readily.  A  tension  spring  M  holds  them  back  in  their  respective 
slots.     Each  tool-holder  is  provided  with  a  pin  N. 

When  the  lever  0  is  swung  one  way  or  the  other  the  wings  P  striking 
one  or  other  of  the  pins  N  force  an  undercutting  tool  Q  down  to  its  work, 
as  shown  in  Fig.  244. 

Waving  Operation. — Returning  to  the  waving,  which  is  the  ninth 
suboperation.  The  roller  holder  G  (Fig.  244)  is  slipped  into  its  seat  in  D, 
and  the  turret  is  run  forward  so  that  the  cup  center  H  supports  the  end 
of  the  work, 'as  shown  in  Fig.  236.  This  brings  the  roller  against  the  face 
of  the  wave  cam  C  (Fig.  236).  The  lathe  spindle  is  stopped  in  such  posi- 
tion that  the  roller  is  in  one  of  the  hollows  of  the  wave  cam.  When  the 
cup  center  brings  up  against  the  base  of  the  shell  the  carriage  is  locked 
to  the  bed  and  the  lathe  started.  With  a  socket  crank  on  the  screw  C 
(Fig.  244)  the  member  B  is  fed  toward  the  already  roughed  wave  groove. 
The  formed  wave  tool  E  is  then  fed  to  correct  depth.  The  tool  is  moved 
from  side  to  side  of  the  groove,  alternately  by  the  wave  cam  and  the 
heavy  helical  spring,  which  keeps  the  roller  in  contact  with  the  wave  cam. 
During  this  operation  the  undercutting  member,  as  previously  stated, 
is  up  out  of  the  way. 

Undercutting  the  Sides  of  the  Wave  Groove  to  Hold  Copper  Band. — 
After  the  limit  snap  gage  is  tried  on  the  bottom  diameter  of  the  wave 
groove,  and  it  is  found  correct,  the  undercutting  member  is  swung  down 
into  working  position  for  the  tenth  suboperation.  The  operator  then 
swings  the  lever  0,  first  one  way  and  then  the  other,  until  the  pins  N 
strike  the  stops  R.  The  undercutting  tools  are  thus  alternately  fed  to 
depth  in  their  respective  cuts.  The  undercutting  completes  the  fourth 
operation. 

In  Fig.  245  are  shown  the  waving  tool,  the  milHng  cutter  for  machining 
it  and  the  tool  used  for  turning  the  milling  cutter. 

Boring  and  finishing  the  interior,  which  is  the  fifth  operation  on  the 
4.5  high-explosive  shell,  is  almost,  if  not  quite,  as  important  as  the  pre- 
ceding one,  for  the  result  of  these  two  is  to  bring  the  work  within  reason- 
able range  of  the  established  weight  limits. 

This  operation  is  performed  on  turret  lathes  of  various  makes,  on  a 
double-spindle  turret  lathe,  and  also  on  a  gang  of  vertical  boring  mills. 

The  work  is  held  in  the  collet  chuck  shown  in  detail  in  Fig.  246. 

The  first  tool  presented  to  the  work  is  the  four-fluted  chucking  reamer, 
shown  in  detail  in  Fig.  247.  This  tool  takes  a  cut  the  full  length  of  the 
straight  part  of  the  bore.  The  lubricant— ^'soda  water — passes  through  a 
central  hole  in  the  reamer  arbor.  Squirting  in  ahead  of  the  cut,  it  washes 
the  chips  back  through  the  flutes,  which  are  of  ample  size  for  their 
passage. 


336 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


The  second  bar  carries  two  tools-— the  rough  boring  and  seat-facing 
flat  cutter  and  the  mouth-reaming  flat  cutter,  both  of  which  are  shown 
in^Fig.  247. 

The  finish-boring  and  seat-facing  flat  cutter  is  next  presented  to  the 
work.     This  cutter  is  shown  in  detail  in  Fig.  247.     It  finishes  the  hole 


11 


TOOL  srefz 

CHardenec/,  /4r/ufes) 


\     1 

1      V 

1 

1 

1 

y 

< — 

--_^i' ^ 

\ 

■12- 


TOOL  STE£L 


TOOL  STEEL 

(Hardened) 


FIG.  245.   WAVING  TOOL  MILLING  CUTTER  AND  TOOL  FOR  TURNING  CUTTER 


< 5§" -M-Z^'^l^  -  -zf 


8' 
FIG.    246.       SHELL   CHUCK   FOR    USE    ON    LATHES 

to  size  and  depth.     The  facing  cutter  completes  the  fifth  operation  by- 
facing  the  shell  to  length. 

The  tooling  for  the  various  machines  for  this  operation  is  similar, 
but  not  the  same.  Changes  have  been  made  necessary  by  variations 
in  the  pulling  power  of  the  machines.     Four  stations  are  used  on  the 


Chap.  IV] 


BRITISH  4.5-lN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


337 


Steinle  lathe  and  only  three  on  the  Bertram  machine.  The  fourth  tool 
in  the  Steinle  set-up  is  mounted  together  with  the  third  in  the  Bertram 
set-up.  This  was  made  possible  because  of  the  great  power  of  the  last- 
mentioned  machine. 

The  output  of  the  Steinle  lathe  is  about  4  per  hour  and  on  the  double- 
spindle  lathe  about  6  per  hour. 


R0U6H  BORING 
AND  5EAT-FACIM6  CUTTER 


<-//---H<--/i'^-->i. 

FINISH  B0RIN6 
AND  SEAT-FACING  CUTTER 


DL 


•^00 


127 


»^    K- -3.4075 ■ 


•^^ 


^/6 


MOUTH  REAMER 


450Be.eA    .^^^^^^^^^^X 


■4" ->i 

CHUCKING  REAMER 
FIG.    247.       CUTTERS    USED    IN    FIFTH   OPERATION 


The  bars  used  for  this  operation  are  shown  in  Fig.  248.  The  method 
of  fastening  the  fiat  cutters  in  the  bars  is  excellent.  Referring  to  section 
AB^  Fig.  248,  it  will  be  noted  that  the  end  of  the  bar  is  slotted  entirely 
through.  The  direction  of  the  cutting  forces  tends  to  spread  the  mem- 
bers C  and  D,  but  the  cutter  E  is  secured  with  two  flat  head  screws  F 

22 


338 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


and  G,  one  in  each  member  C  and  D,  which  bind  these  two  together 
and  -prevent  spreading. 

Set-up  for  Boring  Mills. — Besides  the  turret  lathes,  a  gang  of  small 
boring  mills  is  also  used  on  this  same  job.  Owing  to  the  difficulty  of 
removing  the  chips,  three  handlings,  from  machine  to  machine,  have 
been  found  more  economical  than  completing  the  hole  at  one  chucking. 

Each  boring  mill  is  provided  with  a  single  tool,  chucking  reamer, 
roughing  reamer  or  finishing  reamer,  as  the  case  may  be.     The  work  is 


Roughing  Tool 
Fig.  248.    boring  bars  for  rough  and  finish  boring,  facing  and  reaming  flare 

chucked  in  collet  chucks  similar  to  those  used  in  the  lathes,  and  the  tool 
fed  to  depth.  When  the  work  is  removed  and  passed  to  the  next  machine 
the  chips  are  dumped  out.  If  the  three  bars  were  used  in  the  one  ma- 
chine the  accumulation  of  chips  would  require  removal  between  opera- 
tions, and  with  the  work  in  vertical  position  much  time  would  be  lost. 
The  tools  used  in  the  boring  mill  are  of  course  similar  to  those  used  in 
the  turret  lathes. 

The  shells  from  the  fifth  operation  are  loaded  on  trucks  and  run  out 
to  the  nosing  department,  which  forms  a  part  of  the  forge  shop.  Taken 
from  the  trucks,  the  shells  are  stacked  at  D,  Fig.  249.  The  equipment 
for  nosing  is  simple  but  complete.  The  entire  outfit  is  shown  in  this 
illustration.  At  A  is  an  oil-fired  nosing  furnace  built  by  the  Strong, 
Carlisle  &  Hammond  Co.,  Cleveland,  Ohio.  The  waterjacketed  front 
casting  B  accommodates  seven  shells.  Seven  shells  from  the.  fifth 
operation  occupy  the  top  of  the  stand  C.  The  Bertram  steam  hammer 
E  has  exceptionally  long  guides  and  is  eminently  suitable  for  the  nosing 
job.     At  F  is  a  hydraulic  nosing  press,  designed  and  built  in  the  works, 


Chap.  IV] 


BRITISH  4.5-IN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


339 


to  take  care  of  the  nosing  job  in  case  of  accident  to  the  steam  hammer. 
The  tongs  G  are  supported  at  the  correct  height  by  chains  from  the 
trolley  on  the  overhead  track  H.  This  track  is  rigid,  as  the  chain  is 
flexible  enough  to  permit  the  amount  of  movement  necessary.  The 
tongs  G  are  for  handling  the  cold  shells  from  the  stand  C  into  the  furnace 
A  and  removing  the  hot  ones  from  it.  The  tongs  I  are  for  taking  the 
hot  shells  from  the  tongs  G  and  handling  them  into  and  out  of  the  lower 
die  on  the  steam-hammer  block. 


FIG.    219.       COMPLETE    EQUIPMENT   OP   NOSING    DEPARTMENT 

The  nosing  gang  consists  of  two  men  and  a  hammer  man.  Seven 
shells  are  placed  on  the  stand  C  by  the  man  who  handles  the  work  to 
and  from  the  hammer.  The  man  who  handles  the  long  tongs  G  places 
the  shells  in  the  furnace.  While  the  first  charge  of  shells  is  heating  seven 
more  shells  are  placed  on  top  of  the  stand  C. 

The  charging  of  the  furnace  is  from  left  to  right.  When  the  first 
shell  has  attained  the  proper  heat  the  first  operator  removes  it  with  the 
tongs  G,  swings  it  around  to  the  position  shown  at  J  in  Fig.  249.  The 
second  operator  takes  it  with  the  tongs  I  and  places  it  nose  end  up  in  the 
bottom  die  block  on  the  steam  hammer. 

From  two  or  three  strokes  of  the  hammer  are  sufficient  to  form  a 
perfect  nose. 

While  the  nose  is  being  formed  the  first  operator  swings  the  tongs  G 
back,  picks  up  one  of  the  shells  from  the  stand  C  and  inserts  it  in  the 
vacant  opening  in  the  furnace.  As  soon  as  the  nose  is  shaped  the 
second  operator  lifts^the  work  from  the  bottom  die  with  tongs  I  and 
lays  it  on  the  floor,  out  of  the  way.     By  this  time  the  first  operator  has 


340 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


removed  the  second  hot  shell  from  the  furnace,  and  the  operation  just 
described  is  repeated. 

Nosing  in  this  manner  is  a  very  rapid  operation.  It  takes  just  65 
sec.  to  nose  the  seven  shells  and  recharge  the  furnace.  After  all  the  shells 
of  a  charge  are  nosed  the  hammerman  places  them  nose  down  in  about 
2  in.  of  ashes  on  the  annealing  floor  to  cool  slowly,  the  second  operator 
refills  the  top  of  the  stand  C,  and  the  operation  is  repeated  with  the  shells 
in  the  second  furnace. 

Taken  by  the  day,  nosing  takes  about  15  sec.  per  shell,  which  is  the 
heating  capacity  of  the  furnaces. 

The  furnace  shown  is  7  ft.  6  in.  wide  by  3  ft.  6  in.  deep.  It  is  built  up 
of  cast-iron  plates  and  lined  with  firebricks.     Three  IJ^-in.  low-pressure 


^ 

.  [_,_ 

/  / 

'  i'  - '' 

r 

v-'" 



— 1 

'~— -r--    '    ■ 

r 

t 

Nosing  Die  Block 


Bottom  Die  Block 
FIG.    250.       NOSING    DIE   BLOCKS    FOR   STEAM    HAMMER 


oil  burners  are  used.  The  casting  for  the  reception  of  the  shells  is  water- 
jacketed,  and  a  continuous  circulation  of  water  keeps  their  bodies  cool 
while  their  noses  are  brought  to  the  required  temperature. 

The  upper  and  lower  dies  (see  Fig.  250)  are  so  dimensioned  that  when 
their  two  faces  come  together  nosing  is  complete.  The  lower  die  has  a 
2-in.  central  hole  clear  through  it,  so  that  dirt  and  scale  can  be  easily 
blown  out  by  an  air  hose. 

When  the  nosed  shells  have  cooled  off  in  the  ashes  on  the  annealing 
floor  they  are  loaded  on  trucks  and  run  back  to  the  machine  shop. 
The  seventh  operation  consists  of  five  suboperations — rough  boring, 
finish  boring,  reaming  the  nose  to  tapping  size,  facing  the  shell  to  correct 
length,  and  form-boring  that  part  of  the  interior  which  was  closed,  in 
beyond  the  parallel  bore  by  the  nosing  operation. 

A  number  of  engine  lathes  have  been  fitted  up  for  this  operation. 


Chap.  IV]  BRITISH  4.5-lN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  341 

Collet  chucks  similar  to  those  used  in  the  fifth  operation,  and  shown  in 
Fig.  246,  are  mounted  on  their  spindles.  The  tailstocks  have  been 
replaced  by  hand-operated  hexagonal  turrets  designed  and  built  in  the 
works. 

Form -boring  Lathe. — In  Fig.  251  is  shown  one  of  these  lathes  set 
up  for  this  job.  At  A  is  the  work  held  in  the  collet  chuck  B.  The  work 
is  pushed  to  its  seat  in  the  bottom  of  the  chuck,  which  acts  as  a  locating 
point  from  which  the  traverse  of  the  facing  tool  is  gaged.  In  this  way 
uniform  length  of  the  finished  shells  is  assured. 


FIG.    251.      BORING,    FACING    AND    FORM-BORING    NOSE    END    OF    SHELL 

In  the  tool  post  of  the  lathe  is  an  ordinary  Armstrong  boring  tool  C. 
In  the  turret  are  three  tools — the  boring  bar  D  with  a  single  pointed  tool, 
the  reamer  E  and  the  facing  cutter  F. 

The  cross-feed  screw  has  been  removed  from  these  lathes  and  a  former 
carrier  G  bolted  to  the  brackets  H,  which  in  turn  are  secured  to  the  lathe 
bed.  Fastened  to  the  top  of  G  is  the  former  7,  which  is  the  shape  to  which 
the  inside  of  the  shell  nose  must  be  bored.  A  roller  fitting  the  cam  slot 
in  the  former  is  carried  on  the  end  of  the  link  J,  which  is  bolted  to  the 
cross-slide  as  shown.  Thus  as  the  carriage  moves  along  the  ways,  the 
tool  C  in  the  tool  post  is  constrained  to  follow  the  form  of  the  cam  slot 
in  7,  and  the  boring  tool  reproduces  this  form  in  the  work.  Above  the 
regular  cross-slide  is  the  short  cross-slide  K  to  permit  feeding  the  tool  to 
and  away  from  the  work. 

Form-boring  and  Facing. — The  work  A  is  secured  in  the  chuck  B. 
The  turret  is  run  back  out  of  the  way  and  the  boring  bar  C  in  the  tool- 
post  run  in  and  a  roughing  cut  taken  to  true  the  hole.  It  is  then  run  out 
and  withdrawn  by  means  of  the  cross-slide  K  to  the  position  shown  in  the 
illustration. 


342 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


The  boring  bar  D,  the  tool  in  which  is  set  to  bore  the  work  to  reaming 
size,  is  then  run  in  by  hand.     This  is  followed  by  the  reamer  E.     In 

front  of  the  facine  cutter  F  is 
"'    '^         ■■  ^"^^^  a  hardened  pilot  which  rotates 

freely  on  the  end  of  the  bar. 
It  is  a  snug  fit  for  the  reamed 
hole  in  the  nose  of  the  work 
and  supports  the  end  of  the 
bar.  The  facing  cutter  F  is 
then  advanced  the  correct  dis- 
tance, a  mark  on  the  turret 
slide  indicating  when  correct 
depth  is  reached  as  a  stop. 
The  turret  is  again  run  back 
and  the  boring  bar  C  in  the 
tool  post  brought  into  action 
again.  With  the  highest  part 
of  the  edge  of  the  tool  in  C  in 
line  with  the  edge  of  the  faced 
hole  in  the  work,  the  start  of 
the  curve  of  the  cam  should  be 
113^6  ill-  in  advance  of  the 
center  of  the  cam  roll.  Having 
set  the  boring  bar  so  that  this 
dimension  is  correct,  a  mark 
is  made  on  the  ways  of  the 
lathe  l^J-f  6  ill-  iii  advance  of 
a  mark  on  the  carriage.  Once 
set,  this  adjustment  need  not 
again  be  made,  as  the  cutter 
can  be  removed  and  ground 
without  disturbing  the  holder 
or  bar.  The  carriage  is  then 
advanced  to  this  mark  (with- 
out the  tool  cutting),  the  tool 
fed  to  the  cut  by  the  upper 
cross-slide  K  and  a  cut  taken. 
Two  cuts  are  usually  taken, 
the  operator  feeling  when  the 
formed  cut  runs  into  the 
parallel  bore  of  the  work. 

In  Fig.  252  the  boring  bar, 
reamer,  reamer  holder  and  facing  bar  and  tool  are  shown  in  detail, 
together  with  the  plug  gage  for  the  hole. 


Chap.  IV] 


BRITISH  4.5-IN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


343 


^--J^- 


Oi_ 


,<...... 

/6i^Z- 

-->, 

A'  ^  '  ^ET     ^ 

^SSJ  ^ 

^    ^^^E=^^ 

ssa  ; 

>;       y    ^^^^^^^ 

SSS^  i 

Of             ^       \ 

/^         1 

¥      i'^ 

^^ 

1   !l 

1 

i  0-    if:^ 

1 

i^  ^1 

^H 

|-      i 

^M 

_i 

344 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


The  output  for  one  lathe  and  operator  is  about  four  per  hour. 

Tapping  on  the  Radial  Drill. — The  eighth  operation  is  performed  on  a 
radial-drill  press.  It  is  a  simple  tapping  job,  requiring  neither  special 
skill  nor  special  accessories. 

The  work  is  gripped  in  the  work  holder,  shown  in  detail  in  Fig.  253. 
Several  of  these  are  used  at  various  stages  of  manufacture.  The  tap 
and  tapholder,  together  with  the  plug  thread  gage^  are  also  shown  in  detail 
in  this  same  illustration. 

Cutting  compound  is  used  on  the  tap.  The  steel  in  the  shells  is  very 
hard  and  consequently  severe  on  the  taps.  They  have,  however,  a  life 
of  from  one  hundred  to  two  hundred  holes  before  they  wear  too  small. 
About  15  noses  are  tapped  per  hour. 


/4  Threao/5  per  Inch, 
Whitworfh  5fanc/arcf,  R/i. 


FIG.    254.      FEMALE    CENTER   AND    SCREW   PLUG   FOR   NINTH   OPERATION 

From  the  tapping  operation  the  shells  are  again  run  over  to  the  lathe 
for  the  ninth  operation,  which  consists  of  turning  the  outside  to  finished 
size  and  shape.  This  work  is  done  on  lathes  with  former  holders  similar 
to  that  shown  at  G  in  Fig.  251,  upon  which  former  cams  are  mounted. 
The  connection  between  the  rest  and  the  former  is  precisely  the  same  as 
shown  in  Fig.  251.  The  work,  however,  is  held  between  centers  and  the 
former  cams  conform  to  the  profile  of  the  shell.  The  screw  plug  shown 
in  detail  in  Fig.  254  is  screwed  into  the  nose  of  the  shell  and  fitted  with 
a  dog.  The  base  end  of  the  shell  is  supported  by  the  female  member 
(Fig.  254)  and  an  ordinary  turning  tool  is  secured  in  the  tool  post. 

A  rough  cut  is  taken  over  the  nose  of  the  shell,  averaging  about  J^2  ii^- 
in  depth,  and  prepares  the  whole  body  of  the  shell  for  the  finishing  cut. 
This  cut  is  commenced  at  the  edge  of  the  band  groove  and  is  run  to  the 
nose  end,  the  section  of  the  shell  below  the  band  groove  having  been 


Chap.  IV] 


BRITISH  4.5-IN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


345 


finished  to  size  in  the  fourth  operation.  While  this  cut  is  being  taken, 
the  operator  inserts  the  screw  plug  from  the  shell  previously  finished  into 
another  shell  and  stamps  the  finished  shell  with  his  symbol. 

The  production_'perJathe  in  this  operation  is  between  four  and  five 
an  hour. 


\^-iSj/->\ 


CJ3 


First  Shop  Inspection. — On  the  completion  of  the  ninth  operation 
and  removal  of  the  threaded  driving  plug  each  shell  is  brought_to  the 
inspector's  bench  to  undergo  the  first  shop  inspection,  which  forms  the 
tenth  operation. 


346  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  [Sec.  II 

The  implements  and  gages  used  in  this  operation  are  shown  in  Fig. 
255.  The  body  is  first  tested  with  high  and  low  snap  gages,  4.480  and 
4.460  in.  respectively.  The  high  and  low  ring  gages,  also  4.480  and 
4.460  in.  respectively,  are  then  tried  over  the  body.  The  nose  gage 
with  high  and  low  limits  is  tried  on  the  nose.  The  head  profile  gage  is 
also  tried  on  the  shell  nose  to  see  whether  it  is  in  conformity.  The  length 
gage  is  for  testing  the  length  of  the  shell  minus  the  socket.  The  gage 
for  testing  the  thickness  of  the  gage  is  worthy  of  note.  The  shell  is 
inverted  and  slipped  over  the  vertical  standard,  after  which  the  swing- 
ing member  is  swung  to  rest  on  the  base  of  the  shell.  The  method  of 
using  the  gage  for  measuring  the  thickness  of  the  side  shown  in  Fig. 
255  is  self  evident  and  requires  no  further  explanation. 

To  revert  for  a  moment,  the  heat  number  which  was  stamped  on  the 
original  cast  billet,  and  subsequently  on  the  forging,  must  always  find 
a  place  on  the  work  as  it  passes  from  one  stage  of  manufacture  to  another. 
On  the  completion  of  the  fourth  operation  it  is  stamped  in  the  wave 
groove,  for  here  it  is  safe  from  effacement  till  it  is  covered  by  the  copper 
band.  At  no  other  place  on  the  shell  would  this  be  the  case,  for  all  other 
parts  of  the  exterior  of  the  shell  are  subjected  to  either  machining  or 
nosing  operations.  Having  passed  the  various  gagings,  the  heat  number 
(stamped  in  the  wave  groove)  is  transferred  to  the  body  of  the  shell,  which 
is  now  finished,  this  being  its  final  location. 

The  shell  is  next  placed  on  the  scales.  On  the  one  pan  are  the  neces- 
sary weights  and  on  the  other  a  base  plate  of  finished  size  and  a  finished 
socket,  for  the  weight  of  each  complete  shell  must  include  these  two  parts. 
The  weight  requirements  are  that  the  shell  at  this  stage  must  not  weigh 
more  than  27  lb.  nor  less  than  26  lb.  12  oz.  On  leaving  the  scales  the 
weight  of  each  shell  is  marked  on  it  with  red  chalk.  The  shells  pass  from 
the  scales  in  two  classes — those  that  come  within  the  required  weight 
limits  and  those  which  are  heavier.  There  are  no  "too  fight"  shells, 
for  this  is  a  fault  which  cannot  be  corrected.  The  percentage  of  weight- 
passing  and  heavy  shells  runs  about  equal.  The  shells  falling  within 
each  of  these  classes  are  stacked  in  separate  piles.  The  '^ passing" 
shells  go  through  to  completion,  while  the  heavy  shells  are  brought  to 
passing  weight  by  an  extra  operation. 

Boring  to  Weight. — The  eleventh  operation  consists  of  form-boring 
the  inside  of  the  shell.  The  equipment  is  exactly  similar  to  that  used 
in  the  fifth  suboperation  of  operation  7.  Engine  lathes  equipped  with 
a  form-boring  cam,  as  shown  in  Fig.  251,  are  used.  The  turret  is  dis- 
pensed with  but  the  boring  tool  in  the  tool  post  is  used.  The  men 
employed  on  this  work  have  become  so  expert  that  a  single  cut  almost 
invariably  brings  the  shell  to  correct  weight.  After  this  operation  the 
shells  are  again  weighed  and  if  found  correct  are  stacked  with  the  passing 
shells. 


Chap.  IV] 


BRITISH  4.5-IN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


347 


After  passing  shop  inspection  the  work  goes  to  the  threading  operation. 
This  is  done  on  2-in.  Jones  &  Lamson  flat-turret  lathes  as  shown  in  Fig. 
256.     The  work  A  is  held  in  a  special  draw-in  chuck  B  shown  in  detail 


E 

^^^^^E- --iKi^ 

^Hn 

^  -^m^:^ 

■f-^l®"^ 

-*!l!'55!P    •m-*m,wam^    ^^-_ 

M: - 

J^'^ 

"r"^^^^;  ^%i:^" 

t 

Jl5 

S^. 

^ 

liL__ 

^W"*V 

^r** 

'"**»*«iii^^ 

PIG.    256.      THREADING  BASE-PLATE  RECESS  ON  FLAT-TURRET  LATHES 

in  Fig.  257.  The  forward  end  of  the  shell  is  supported  in  the  roller 
steadyrest,  shown  in  detail  in  Fig.  258.  The  rollers  are  mounted  on 
eccentric  studs  so  that  they  can  be  adjusted  to  hold  work  varying  slightly 
in  size  from  piece  to  piece. 


Draw  to  f/Y 


Bushing 


S./8 


'•'r  l4Th reads 

\  per  Inch  Right 

\  HandWhifmrfh 

5 !  5fandarci\ 

1^-  To  fii- Thread)^ 

T  on  Shell 
i 


^ 


MACH/N5  STE5L 


FIG.    257.      DRAW-IN  CHUCK  FOR  BASE-PLATE   RECESS  THREAD-CHASING  TOOL 

Thread-chasing  Attachment. — The  thread-chasing  attachment  shown 
in  Fig.  256  is  an  example  of  clever  design.  The  splined  rod  D  is  driven 
through  gearing  from  the  live  spindle  of  the  lathe.     At  E  is  a  clutch,  so 


348 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


that  the  rotation  of  D  can  be  stopped  or  started  at  the  will  of  the  operator 
without  stopping  the  spindle  of  the  lathe.  Running  in  the  upright  F 
is  a  vertical  shaft  driven  by  D  through  spiral  gears.  The  upper  part  G, 
in  which  these  gears  are  located,  has  a  stem  projecting  downward  into 


r^H 


Cast  Iron 


6U/DE  PLATE 
FIG.    258.       EOLLER    STEADYREST 


a  bearing  in  F,  in  which  it  is  free  to  turn  in  a  horizontal  plane.     The 
member  E  can  also  turn  horizontally. 

The  splined  driving  shaft  D  is  provided  with  collars  on  each  side  of  G 
so  that  it  has  no  endwise  motion  with  relation  to  G.     It  is,  however,  free 


Chap.  IV] 


BRITISH  4.5-IN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


349 


to  slide  endwise  at  E  in  its  bearings  and  in  the  spiral  gear.  This  feature, 
with  the  two  horizontally  rotatable  supports  at  E  and  G,  makes  possible 
the  rotation  of  the  flat  turret  when  the  machine  is  used  for  more  than  the 
threading  of  the  base-plate  recess,  although  in  this  particular  case  it  is 
not  so  used. 

At  the  lower  end  of  the  vertical  shaft  in  F  (Fig.  256)  is  another  spiral 
gear  shown  at  H  in  Fig.  259.  This  gear  is  rigidly  secured  to  its  shaft  I. 
Near  the  end  of  the  shaft  is  a  collar  J,  also  rigidly  secured  to  /,  and  above 
it  a  spur  pinion  K.  This  pinion  Js  loose  on  the  shaft  I,  but  a  heavy  spring 
L  holds  it  in  f  rictional  contact  with  the  collar  J,  so  that  it  will  transmit  a 
drive  sufficiently  powerful  for  the  purpose  at  one  part  of  the  cycle  of  the 
threading  operation,  but  will  slip  at  that  part  of  the  cycle  when  it  is  its 
duty  to  slip. 


FIG.    259.       DETAILS    OF    THE    THREAD-CHASING    ATTACHMENT 


The  spur  pinion  K  engages  the  rack  M  on  the  cylindrical  chasing  bar 
Nj  and  the  spiral  gear  H  engages  the  spiral  gear  0  on  the  lead  screw  P. 
The  relative  positions  of  the  members  N  and  P  under  working  conditions 
are  best  shown  in  Fig.  256. 

The  chasing  bar  N  is  bored  lengthwise  to  receive  a  bar  terminating  at 
one  end  in  the  ball  handle  Q.  This  bar  is  cyUndrical  except  for  a  flat 
formed  on  a  part  of  its  circumference.  This  flat  part  is  under  the  half- 
nut  R.  A  rounded  groove  S  in  N  permits  the  lead  screw  P  to  be  placed 
close  to  N.  It  is  deep  enough  to  clear  the  collars  T.  At  U  and  V  are 
two  pins.  On  the  inside  of  N  these  pins  engage  the  bar  (previously  re- 
ferred to)  with  the  flat  on  it.  The  collars  T  on  the  lead  screw  are  dis- 
posed, one  on  each  side  of  these  pins.  Each  coUar  has  a  pin  W  or  X 
disposed  vertically  to  its  face.  These  pins  W  and  X  are  so  located  that 
when  in  a  favorable  position  only  one  of  them  can  strike  one  of  the  pins 
U  or  V,     When  the  pin  U  is  struck  by  the  pin  X  the  inner  bar  is  turned 


350  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  [Sec.  II 

in  the  chasing  bar  N  so  that  the  cyhndrical  part  is  under  the  half-nut 
R.  This  raises  the  half-nut  R  into  operating  position  in  mesh  with 
the  lead  screw  P.  When  the  pin  V  is  struck  by  the  pin  W  the  inner  bar 
is  turned  in  the  chasing  bar  N  so  that  the  flattened  part  is  under  the  half- 
nut  R.  This  permits  the  half -nut  to  drop  out  of  engagement  with  the 
lead  screw. 

The  chasing  bar  iV  is  a  sliding  fit  in  its  housing  and  is  held  from  turn- 
ing by  a  feather  shown  at  A  in  Fig.  259.  The  fixture  is  so  set  that  the 
bar  iV  at  its  extreme  forward  traverse  carries  the  chaser  Y  to  the  bottom 
of  the  base-plate  recess. 

On  the  forward  end,  that  is,  the  end  of  the  inner  bar  most  remote  from 
Q,  is  an  eccentric  pin  which,  working  in  a  crosswise  slot  in  the  body  of  the 
chaser  F,  throws  it  in  or  out  of  cutting  position. 

Operation  of  Chasing  a  Thread. — Referring  to  Figs.  256  and  259, 
when  the  bar  A^  has  retreated  far  enough  the  pin  U  in  it  arrives  at  a 
position  where  the  pin  X  in  the  collar  of  the  rotating  lead  screw  strikes 
it  and  forces  it  down.  This  causes  the  bar  in  N  to  rotate.  The  cylin- 
drical part  at  the  middle  of  the  inner  bar  lifts  the  half -nut  R  into  engagement 
with  the  lead  screw  P  and  the  lead  screw  feeds  the  chasing  bar  N  forward 
at  the  correct  speed  to  cut  the  thread.  Simultaneously  with  the  lifting 
of  the  half-nut  R,  in  the  middle  of  the  chasing  bar  N,  the  eccentric  on 
the  end  of  the  inner  bar  assumes  a  position  that  sets  the  chaser  out  to 
cutting  position.  The  direction  of  rotation  of  the  pinion  K,  which 
meshes  with  the  rack  M  of  the  chasings  bar,  would  tend  to  move  the  bar 
N  from  left  to  right  while  the  lead  screw  P  is  forcing  it  from  right  to  left. 
This  is  where  slipping  of  the  spring-controlled  friction  L  takes  place. 

The  chasing  bar  N  is  forced  by  the  half-nut  and  lead  screw  to  move 
from  right  to  left  and  the  chaser  to  take  a  cut  while  the  friction  slips. 
When  the  chaser  in  the  end  of  the  chasing  bar  N  reaches  the  bottom  of 
the  base-plate  recess,  the  pin  V  in  the  chasing  bar  is  in  position  to  be 
struck  by  the  pin  W  in  the  lead-screw  collar.  This  rocks  the  inner  bar 
in  N  so  that  the  flat  is  under  the  half-nut  R.  The  half-nut  R  having 
nothing  to  support  it,  drops  out  of  engagement  with  the  lead  screw. 
The  friction  pinion  K  being  relieved  of  the  opposition  of  the  lead  screw, 
racks  the  chasing  bar  N  back  from  left  to  right  as  before.  Simultaneous 
with  the  release  of  the  half-nut  R  the  eccentric  on  the  end  of  the  inner 
bar  withdraws  the  chaser  from  cutting  position  so  that  it  clears  the  work 
on  the  return  of  the  chasing  bar  N. 

During  the  threading  operation  the  lathe  is  run  backward  as  the  base- 
plate thread  is  left-hand.  The  pitch  is  14  per  inch  and  the  Whitworth 
form  of  thread  is  required. 

Referring  to  Fig.  256  it  will  be  noted  that  the  fixture  is  secured  to  a 
base  slide  fastened  to  the  turret.  The  slide  is  shown  in  Fig.  260.  The 
feed  for  each  individual  cut  is  controlled  by  the  cross-handle  Z  and  cross- 


Chap.  IV] 


BRITISH  4  5-IN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


351 


hV^^-^ 


m 


-v 


i; 
'i 

11 


& 


■Y-f- 
5)o- 


.^ 


^---2i- 


^6/b  Key  fo  f if  here 


k4">»<- 


/7>7/jA  £?//  c7Ke/-  MACHINE  STEEL 

FIG.    260.      BASE    FOR   THREADING    ATTACHMENT 


FIG.    261,      CROSS-SLIDING    HEAD    TO   HOLD    4.5   SHELLS   FOR   THREAD    CHASING 


352 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


slide  screw.  From  4  to  6  cuts  are  required  to  finish  the  thread.  The 
chaser  has  4  teeth.  A  machine  and  operator  can  thread  a  httle  over 
16  shells  per  hour.  In  connection  with  the  support  of  the  work  during 
this  operation  it  would  perhaps  not  be  out  of  place  to  show  a  method 
employed  in  many  of  the  shops  in  Canada  where  Jones  &  Lamson  ma- 
chines are  used  for  this  work  on  4.5  shells. 

The  way  the  problem  has  been  solved  by  another  designer  is  shown 
in  Fig.  261.  The  work  A,  approximately  4.5  in.  diameter,  is  too  large 
to  go  into  the  hole  in  the  spindle,  so  it  is  held  in  a  collet  chuck  B  mounted 
on  the  end  of  the  spindle  extension  C,  which  is  made  large  enough  in  the 
bore  to  take  the  shell.  The  inner  end  of  the  extension  C  is  screwed  to  the 
spindle  nose.  The  outer  end  is  supported  in  the  steadyrest  D.  This 
steady  has  a  slide  on  its  base  fitting  the  slide  E  planed  on  the  member  F 
which  is  clamped  to  the  lathe  bed.  The  upper  part  of  the  steadyrest 
is  provided  with  two  arms  G  and  H  cast  in  one  piece  with  it.  These 
arms  are  bolted  to  the  lathe  head  as  shown. 


z^-:^ 


^- 


^if 


\<4*\ 


CAST/f?OAf 


P)(0)ioC 


©pp© 


FIG.    262.       DETAILS    OF    THE    CAST-IRON    TRAY 

Cleaning  and  Sandblasting  the  Shells. — After  the  thread  is  cut  the 
shells  are  thoroughly  cleaned,  first  in  hot  soda  water  and  then  in  clean 
hot  water.  When  taken  from  the  tanks  the  shells  are  stood  nose  down  in 
orifices  in  special  cast-iron  trays,  shown  in  detail  in  Fig.  262. 

Since  the  shells  come  from  the  soda  tanks  very  hot  and  are  stood 
on  end  with  their  open  ends  downward  in  the  trays  A,  they  are  thoroughly 
dry  by  the  time  they  reach  the  sandblast  room.  Here  they  are  thoroughly 
sandblasted,  both  inside  and  out.  It  is  particularly  necessary  that  they 
be  absolutely  clean  on  the  inside  so  as  to  have  a  good  surface  for  the 


Chap.  IV] 


BRITISH  4.5-IN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


353 


application  of  the  copal  varnish  in  a  later  operation.  After  being  thor- 
oughly sandblasted  the  dust  is  blown  off  with  air  alone  and  the  shells 
taken  to  have  the  base  plates  inserted. 

In  the  works  of  the  Allis-Chalmers  Co.  base  plates  are  machined  by 
the  semiautomatic  machines  built  by  the  Automatic  Machine  Co., 
Bridgeport,  Conn.  A  detail  of  the  4.5-in.  base  plate  and  the  base- 
plate inspection  gage  is  shown  in  Fig.  263. 


l4-ThreeK/s  per  Inch,  Lef/-  Nancf, 
YJhii-nroHh  Standard 


Q465>\      (<  I, 

Threads  per  Inch  "^      ^^  0.425 

'  Handmiftvorfh   1^^^     / 


TOOL  STEn  ^xQ87S^ 

FIG.    263.      BASE    PLATE    FOR    4.5-IN.    SHELL    AND    INSPECTION    GAGE 


Semiautomatic  Base-plate  Turner  and  Threader. — The  work  is  held 
in  a  collet  chuck.  At  the  back  is  the  turning  tool  held  in  the  tool  post, 
while  at  the  front  is  the  threading  tool  held  in  another  tool  post.  The 
action  of  both  these  tools  is  automatic.  That  is  to  say,  the  tool  is  fed 
to  depth,  traverses  the  work,  is  run  back  clear  of  the  work  and  returned 
to  the  starting  position  when  the  cycle  of  operations  is  repeated  till  the 
piece  is  turned  to  diameter.  The  threading  tool  then  takes  up  its  series 
of  operations  while  the  turning  tool  is  clear  of  the  work.  The  facing  tool 
is  held  in  the  vertical  slide  and  is  fed  by  hand,  using  the  handwheel.  The 
slide  for  this  tool  is  set  at  a  slight  angle  to  give  the  camber  of  0.002  in. 
specified. 

The  work  is  chucked  in  the  collet  chuck,  and  the  machine  is  started. 
The  turning  tool  at  the  rear  of  the  machine  then  begins  the  cycle  of  its 
operation.  In  the  meantime  the  operator  feeds  the  facing  tool  vertically 
toward  the  center  of  the  disk.  By  the  time  it  has  reached  the  center  the 
turning  tool  at  the  back  has  taken  the  requisite  number  of  cuts,  usually 
three.  When  the  turning  tool  has  finished  its  work  the  slide  is  tripped 
and  the  tool  backs  out.  Simultaneously  the  threading-tool  slide  is 
tripped  and  starts  the  cycle  of  its  operations.  The  threading  tool  is 
advanced  to  the  cut,  traverses  the  cut,  is  withdrawn  clear  of  the  work 

23 


354  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  [Sec.  II 

and  returned  to  starting  position,  when  the  same  cycle  of  operations  is 
repeated.  About  six  cuts  are  required  to  finish  the  thread.  On  comple- 
tion of  the  thread  the  machine  is  automatically  tripped.  A  machine  and 
operator  finish  about  8  base  plates  per  hour. 

The  next  operation  is  fitting  the  base  plates.  The  shells  are  held 
nose  down  in  a  clamp  holder  mounted  on  a  piece  of  12X12  yellow  pine 
cemented  into  the  concrete  floor.  The  wrench  handle  and  pipe  together, 
used  to  screw  in  the  base  plates,  form  a  lever  about  6  ft.  long  and  two 
men  do  the  job,  so  a  rigid  support  for  the  clamp  holder  is  necessary. 

The  clamp  holder  is  shown  in  detail  in  Fig.  253. 

A  drop  of  Pettman  cement  is  daubed  on  the  center  of  the  cambered 
face  of  the  base  plate.  The  base  plate  is  then  screwed  down  hard  and 
the  drop  of  Pettman  cement  acts  as  a  witness  and  proves  the  fit.  The 
shells  next  go  to  the  preliminary  Government  inspection.  While  no 
previous  mention  has  been  made  of  the  work  of  the  Government  inspect- 
ors, their  duty  is  to  follow  the  work  through  the  entire  course  of  manu- 
facture. Wherever  an  inspection  mark  must  be  effaced  in  the  course  of 
machining  it  is  their  duty  to  replace  it  on  the  shell. 

It  would,  therefore,  perhaps  be  as  well  to  go  over  the  work  that  has 
been  done  by  them  before  the  preliminary  inspection  is  taken  up. 

Government  Inspectors'  Duties. — In  the  AUis-Chalmers  plant  the 
work  is  taken  care  of  by  a  chief  inspector  and  four  assistants.  When  the 
hollow  forgings  are  received  at  the  works  a  Government  inspector  goes 
over  them  to  see  that  they  bear  the  acceptance  mark  of  the  inspector  of 
steel.  This  mark  is  a  diamond  with  the  well-known  British  ''broad 
arrow"  within  it. 

The  inspector's  acceptance  mark  is  removed  during  the  facing  opera- 
tion; he  therefore  superintends  the  facing  of  the  shell  bases  and  transfers 
the  acceptance  mark  (stamped  by  the  inspector  of  steel)  to  the  head  of  the 
shell  above  the  shoulder.  Under  his  direction  the  contractor  transfers 
the  steel  maker's  cast  and  ingot  numbers  to  the  head  of  the  shell. 

After  the  heading  operation  is  completed  on  a  ''lot"  of  4.5-in.  shells, 
the  lot  is  stacked  and  an  inspector  selects  one  shell  for  the  compression 
and  tensile  tests  required  by  the  specification.  It  is  his  duty  to  check 
the  number  of  shells  in  a  lot  and  see  that  all  bear  a  lot  mark  on  their 
bases.  The  selected  shell  is  taken  by  him  to  the  employee  who  has  been 
detailed  to  cut  out  the  test  pieces.  Should  it  be  impossible  to  cut  the 
test  pieces  at  once,  the  inspector  returns  to  his  regular  duties  and  takes 
the  shell  with  him  until  such  time  as  may  be  agreed  upon  when  the  work  of 
test-piece  cutting  can  be  carried  out.  It  is  his  duty  to  superintend  the 
entire  operation  of  cutting  out  the  test  pieces. 

When  complete  the  test  pieces  are  stamped  with  the  firm's  monogram, 
the  lot  letter  of  the  shell  and  the  inspector's  own  work  mark.  He  then 
personally  mails  the  pieces  to  the  testing  center.     The  shell  bodies  from 


Chap.  IV]  '  BRITISH  4.5-IN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  355 

which  the  test  pieces  have  been  cut  are  retained  by  the  inspector  until 
he  is  authorized  by  the  inspector-in-charge  to  scrap  them.  When  they 
are  scrapped  it  is  his  duty  to  see  that  they  are  so  destroyed  that  no  further 
test  pieces  can  be  cut  from  them.  The  duty  of  superintending  test-piece 
cutting  as  described  is  carried  out  by  the  chief  inspector,  or  an  assistant 
detailed  by  him.  All  inspectors  take  a  turn  at  this  duty,  but  they  must 
not  be  detailed  in  any  regular  order. 

Preliminary  Inspection  of  Shells. — For  the  preliminary  examination, 
shells,  with  the  machined  parts  finished,  are  presented  in  lots  and  inspected 
for  freedom  from  cracks,  flaws,  blow-holes,  scale,  rust  and  other  material 
defects  and  for  smoothness  of  surface.  The  operations  enumerated  in 
Table  1  are  carried  out.  The  steel  base  plate  is  unscrewed  and  examined 
for  flaws  and  camber,  and  the  recesses  are  also  examined  for  flaws  and 
gaged  for  depth  and  flatness  and  also  to  see  that  the  front  thread  is  cut 
away  correctly. 

Table  1.    Inspection  op  High-explosive  Shells 

Operation  Onpratinn  ^^^  ^^^*-  *o  ^^  Done, 

No.  Operation  ^^_j^^   Howitzer 

1  Examination  of   fractures   and  work  marks  on 

billets 100 

2  Internal  and  external  examination  before  varnish- 

ing          100 

3  Undercut  in  groove  for  driving  band 100 

4  Low  diameter  of  groove  for  driving  band  high 

and  low 100 

5  Examination  of  threads  in  head  and  base 100 

6^     Concentricity  of  cavity 

7  Depth  and  flatness  of  recess  for  base  plate 100 

8  Examination  of  base  plates  before  insertion. . . .         100 

9  Examination  of  base  recess  for  flaws 100 

10  Base  calipers 100 

11  Wall  calipers 50 

12  Diameter  of  body  (high  and  low) 100 

No  patching,  stopping,  plugging  or  electric  welding  is  allowed. 
Shells  found  to  be  correct  are  marked  by  the  inspector  with  his  work 
mark  in  the  following  manner,  illustrated  in  Fig.  264 : 

1.  A  work  mark  is  stamped  on  the  body  immediately  in  front  of  the 
driving-band  groove  to  indicate  that  the  groove  is  correct. 

2.  A  second  work  mark  is  stamped  above  the  first  if  the  shell  is  found 
correct  to  body  gaging  and  visual  examination.  (As  an  alternative 
these  work  marks  may  be  placed  in  the  rear  of  the  driving-band  groove, 
the  one  indicating  the  correctness  of  the  groove  being  next  to  it.) 

3.  A  work  mark  is  stamped  on  the  shoulder  to  indicate  that  the 
threads  in  the  head  are  correct. 

*  Operation  No.  6  is  necessary  on  the  18-pounder  only. 


356 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


4.  A  work  mark  is  stamped  in  the  bottom  of  the  recess  for  the  base 
plate  and  one  on  the  base  of  the  shell  near  the  edge  of  the  recess  to  indicate 
correctness  of  the  recess. 

5.  A  work  mark  is  stamped  on  the  inner  face  of  the  base  plate  to 
indicate  flatness  and  freedom  from  flaws. 


Correctness  of  Fuse  tto/e 
for  gaging  and  interna/ 
Examination 


Transferred  tteatAb. 
and  Inspector  of  Steel         I  p 
Acceptance  Stamp 

Correctness  after 
final  Examination 


Serwi cable  Mark 


Correct  Ttireads 
in  Head 


Series 
letter 


PLAN  OF  BASE  SH0W/M6 
MARKING 


Inner  Face  of  Basep/ate, 
Flatness  and  Freedom, 
from  Flayvs-'-'/ 

Repeat  on  Top  Face 
of  Plug,  to  Indicate 
Tightness  of  Plug 


Series  Letter 


Bod(/  gaging  and 
visual  Examination 

Driving  Band 
Oroove  Cdrrect 


For  Proof  She/ I  only 


FIG.    264.       MARKING    FOR   ACCEPTED    SHELLS 


Preliminary  Selection  of  Shells  for  Proof. — If  the  manufacturer 
desires,  a  shell  may  be  selected  for  ''proof "  at  this  stage,  a  distinguishing 
mark  P  and  his  work  mark  being  put  on  its  base  by  the  inspector.  .  The 
completion  of  this  shell  can  now  be  hastened.  When  completed  it  is 
subjected  to  the  usual  final  examination  and  forwarded  by  the  contractor 
to  the  Chief  Inspector  of  Arms  and  Ammunition,  Cartridge  Factory, 
Cove  Fields,  Quebec,  for  proof.  The  preparation  of  the  shell  for  proof 
is  done  at  Quebec. 

From  the  preliminary  inspection  the  shells  go  back  to  have  the  base 
plate  screwed  in.  This  time  the  entire  threaded  end  and  face  of  the  base 
plate  is  brushed  with  Pettman  cement  and  the  plate  screwed  home  to 
stay. 

Rough-facing  the  Base  on  the  Flat  Turret  Lathe. — The  square  shank 
and  excess  metal  in  the  base  plate  is  cut  off  in  Jones  &  Lamson  lathes. 
The  shell  is  gripped  by  a  draw-in  chuck  similar  to  the  one  shown  in  detail 
in  Fig.  257.     The  body  is  supported  in  a  roller  steadyrest  similar  to  the 


Chap.  IV] 


BRITISH  4.5-IN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


357 


one  shown  in  detail  in  Fig.  258.  When  the  work  comes  from  this  opera- 
tion the  base  plate  is  left  about  ^4  in.  higher  than  the  base  of  the  shell, 
so  as  to  provide  sufficient  metal  for  riveting,  in  the  next  operation. 

The  method  used  to  secure  the  base  plate  is  shown  in  the  operation 
sketch.  The  shell  is  placed  nose  down  in  a  hardwood  cradle  and  a  ma- 
chine-steel guide  ring  C  is  placed  on  top  of  the  base.  The  operator  then 
manipulates  a  pneumatic  hammer  around  in  a  circle,  keeping  the  curved 
tool  in  contact  with  the  ring.  The  dimensions  of  the  guide  ring  are  given 
in  Fig.  265.     One  man  can  rivet  about  45  base  plates  per  hour. 

The  outfit  for  finish-turning  the  base  after  riveting  is  practically  the 
same  as  that  used  for  rough-facing.  The  production  on  finish-facing  is 
about  the  same  as  on  rough-facing ;  that  is,  18  per 
hour.  The  bases  of  the  shells  as  they  come  from 
this  operation  must  show  no  crevice  between  the 
base  plate  and  the  shell  body  and  there  is  no 
trouble  in  securing  this  condition. 

The  brass  sockets  are  next  screwed  into 
place.  This  work  is  done  on  a  back-geared 
drilling  machine.  The  work  is  held  in  the 
clamp  holder  (shown  in  detail  in  Fig.  253). 
The  socket  is  screwed  on  the  end  of  the  driver, 
which  is  provided  with  a  nut,  backed  up  by  a 
loose  wedge — see  operation  sketch. 

In  driving  a  socket  the  wedge  is  entered  in 
the  slot  as  far  as  it  will  go.  The  socket  and  the 
nut  are  prevented  from  turning  on  the  driver 
when  the  friction  between  the  wedge  and  the 
nut  becomes  greater  than  the  friction  between 
the  socket  and  the  shell  nose.     When  the  socket 

is  screwed  to  position,  the  friction  drive  slips,  the  machine  is  stopped 
and  the  wedge  driven  back.  This  slackens  up  the  nut,  and  the  driver 
is  easily  backed  out. 

The  upper  end  of  the  driver  shank  is  squared  to  fit  the  friction  driver 
disk.  Details  of  the  socket  driver  are  shown  in  Fig.  266.  The  sockets 
are  painted  with  Pettman  cement  before  screwing  them  in.  One  man 
can  screw  in  about  30  sockets  per  hour.  Sockets  which  are  not  screwed 
down  tight  when  the  friction  driver  slips  are  screwed  to  place  by  hand 
with  a  wrench.     Less  than  one  per  cent,  require  this  treatment. 

As  the  sockets  are  screwed  tight  into  the  shell  nose  there  is  a  tendency 
to  close  some  of  them  slightly.  Those  which  are  closed  are  cleaned  out 
with  the  tap,  shown  together  with  the  plug  thread  gage  in  Fig.  266. 

The  shells  now  go  to  a  small  vertical  boring  mill  equipped  with  a 
universal  chuck  for  holding  them  and  with  a  formed  tool  (the  shape  of 
the  nose  of  the  shell)  mounted  in  the  tool  post  for  the  twentieth  operation. 


m. 


Y 


^^%. 


- 4.4SS''- ->i^-^ 

Machine  S+eel 

FIG.  265.     GUIDE  RING  FOR 
RIVETING  BASE  PLATES 


358 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


The  tool  is  fed  sidewise  to  the  cut.     One  man  can  finish  about  30  per 
hour. 

The  next  operation,  banding,  is  done  in  a  self-contained  banding 
plant  located  in  that  part  of  the  works  where  the  rest  of  the  finishing 
operations,  the  final  inspection,  varnishing,  painting,  packing  and  ship- 
ping are  done. 


/4-T/jreads  per  Inch 
//^  Righf  Hand  Whf:f-mrfh 
5>|<-  -/^  -  ->,      ,---  Standard 
n  J""\"  / 


Tl^A^  ^Ij"- 


Harcfened- 


Machine  S+eel 


Y-fi->\^- 


-r'' 


Finished  a// over 
SOCKET  DRIVE 


^-\/4-Thrds  per  In.  /?.d. 


Knur/ 

SCREW  SAeE 


O 


Hardened 
Finished  a//  over 
Tool  5+eel 
KEY 


4-Flu+es 

Tool  S+eel  (Hardened) 


14-ThrdsperIn.P.Hi/ 

ma-worth  srd' 


TAP 
FIG.    266.      DETAILS    OF   SOCKET-THREAD    GAGE,    SOCKET-THREAD     TAP     AND     NUT     AND 
WEDGE-TYPE   DRIVING   TOOL   FOR   THE   SOCKETS 


Placing  and  Compressing  the  Copper  Bands. — The  copper  bands 
shown  in  Fig.  267  are  large  enough  to  just  slip  over  the  base  of  the  shell. 
They  are  sheared  from  drawn-copper  tube  or  parted  from  copper  cups 
thick  in  the  wall.  They  are  narrow  enough  to  just  enter  the  driving 
band  groove.  The  operation  of  banding  is  performed  in  a  special  hy- 
draulic banding  press,  operating  under  a  pressure  of  1,500  lb.  per  sq.  in. 

The  banding  press  (see  detail  Fig.  267)  consists  of  a  ring-like  cast-steel 
body,  enclosing  six  stationary  pistons.  Mounted  in  each  piston  is  a 
movable  cylinder  carrying  on  its  forward  end  a  lug.  Connected  at  each 
lug  and  guided  by  a  central  hub  through  which  they  pass  are  the  six 
banding  punches.  These  punches  are  pressed  forward  against  the  in- 
serted shell  and  copper  band  by  water  under  1,500  lb.  per  sq.  in.  pressure 
entering  the  cylinders  from  the  supply  pipe  encircling  the  press  body. 
The  punches  are  withdrawn  by  heavy  helical  springs.     The  operating 


Chap.  IV]  BRITISH  4.5-IN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 

E 


359 


Approx/mafe  We/'^hf  of  each  |  !:;^o  ^^ 


Bana,I/b.  Soz. 


\<-//-4.480 


L-4.460'->\  \.H-aB4', 

L-4.9^o'-■->^~^-o.^^ 


^  v^-=^' 


\^-H-4.940" 

COPPER  DRIV/AfG  BAND 
FIG.    267.      225-TON  PKESS  FOR  PRESSING  COPPER  BANDS  ON  SHELLS 


Y:ii->\ 


FIG.    268.      STEEL   DIE   FOR  STAMPING  BOTTOM   OF   4.5-IN.    HOWITZER   SHELLS 


360 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


valve  is  controlled  by  one  lever,  admitting  the  water  under  pressure  in 
one  position  and  in  another  shutting  off  the  supply  and  opening  the  dis- 
charge to  the  supply  tank. 

Two  men  operate  one  banding  press,  their  output  being  about  45 
banded  shells  per  hour. 

The  shells  are  taken  from  the  banding  press,  and  the  base  of  each  is 
stamped  in  a  drop  press  with  the  impression  shown  in  Fig.  268. 

Varnishing  the  Shells  Inside. — After  all  dust  is  blown  out  with  an 
air  blast,  a  thin  sheet-metal  bushing  is  inserted  in  the  nose  of  the  shell 
to  protect  the  threads  in  the  socket  from  the  varnish  and  prevent  them 


1 

IB 

» 

1  H^^l 

■  * 

'"^B 

I 

'H 

1 

iinn 

}: 

\     il 

FIG.    269.      VAKNISH-BAKING    OVEN 


from  being  filled  up.  The  operator,  having  first  dipped  a  brush  provided 
with  bristles  at  the  end  and  along  one  side  for  about  4  in.  from  the  end  in 
the  varnish  pot,  inserts  it  in  the  shell.  The  shell  is  then  rolled  backward 
and  forward  on  the  table,  the  brush  in  the  meantime  being  reciprocated 
so  that  the  varnish  covers  the  whole  inner  surface  of  the  shell.  When 
complete,  the  shell  is  stood  on  its  base.  The  excess  varnish  collects  in 
the  base  and  is  removed  with  a  brush  before  the  shell  goes  to  the  oven. 
The  varnish  must  be  made  from  a  high  grade  of  African  copal  gum.  The 
only  metallic  impurities  permitted  are:  Not  more  than  0.5  per  cent,  of 
manganese;  lead  calculated  as  metallic  lead  (Pb)  not  to  exceed  0.05  per 
cent.;  copper  not  to  exceed  0.1  per  cent.  Preparatory  to  passing  the 
shell  to  the  operator,  a  boy  cleans  out  the  grub  screw  hole  in  the  socket, 
using  a  tap  for  the  purpose. 

The  shells  are  now  loaded  on  the  iron  trays  shown  in  detail  in  Fig. 
262.  These  are  then  placed  on  trucks  and  run  into  the  baking  oven  shown 
in  Fig.  269.     There  are  two  of  these  ovens.     Three  of  their  sides  are  Uned 


Chap.  IV] 


BRITISH  4.5-IN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


361 


with  live-steam  pipes.  To  bring  the  ovens  to  the  desired  temperature 
electric  heaters  were  necessary.  Vi^ith  the  arrangement  shown  the  speci- 
fied 300  deg.  F.  is  readily  attained  and  is  maintained  for  the  required 
8hr. 

r rsf 

I 


Cast  Iron-  '  Machine  Steel  (Hartfened) 

FEMALE  CUP  CEAfTf/f 


^ 


W^ 


j^ni^iiiii  ii|iiiii!miiib" 


ATTACH/^/yr 

FIG.    270.       ATTACHMENT   FOR    TURNING    COPPER  BANDS 


Turning  the  Copper  Driving  Band. — The  copper  driving  bands  are 
turned  on  a  special  lathe  which  has  been  evolved  from  one  formerly  used 
for  winding  electrical  apparatus.  Three  tools  are  employed  as  shown  in 
Fig.  270. 


362 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


The  shell  A  is  held  in  a  special  universal  chuck  with  extra-long  jaws. 
The  rear  end  is  supported  by  a  cup  center  B  mounted  on  the  tail  spindle, 
shown  in  detail  in  Fig.  270.  Beneath  the  center  of  the  lathe  is  the  first 
rough-turning  tool  C.  This  tool  is  run  lengthwise  of  the  lathe.  The 
rough  form-turning  tool  is  mounted  in  front  at  D.  By  referring  to  Fig. 
270  it  will  be  noted  that  the  crossfeed  screw  E  is  provided  with  mitre 
gears  ¥  and  (r,  which  transmit  motion  to  the  screw  B.^  which  actuates  the 


V*:  ■ 


Serraf/ons  - 
!     52 per  Inch, 
r^-j  0.02"Deep 


±1 


14  Flu+es-Tool  Steel 
(Hardened) 
i" 
„\<- Ij— -j-| 

O.IB5.^:^1J95%rBandA^^.I5'' 


steel  (Hardened) 
ROUGH 


Steel  (Hardened) 

FmsM 


HNISH 

\<- 4 — ->i 

ai5S:l*'.^IJ9S''fbrBand^;^JS" 


0.080- 


ROUGH 
FIG.    271.      MILLING   CUTTERS  AND  TOOLS  FOR  COPPER  DRIVING    BAND 


rough-turning  tool  C.  The  tool  block  /  is  so  located  with  relation  to  the 
tool  block  carrying  the  rough-turning  tool  C,  and  both  of  them  with  rela- 
tion to  the  rough  copper  driving  band  on  the  shell,  that  the  tool  C  tra- 
verses across  the  copper  band  and  rough-turns  it  before  the  rough  forming 
tool  D  begins  to  cut.  At  the  back  of  the  lathe  is  the  finish-forming  tool 
J,  which  is  carried  in  a  vertical  slide  and  is  actuated  by  the  hand  lever  K. 

In  Fig.  271  are  shown  the  tools  for  turning  the  copper  bands.  They 
are  made  of  high-speed  steel  and  milled  in  12-in.  lengths.  In  this  illus- 
tration are  also  shown  the  milling  cutters  and  the  forming  tools  with 
which  the  milling  cutters  were  made. 

The  finished  shells  weigh  27  lb.  10  oz.,  with  an  allowance  of  plus  2  or 


Chap.  IV]  BRITISH  4.5-IN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  363 

minus  4  oz.  The  inspection  operations  for  the  final  inspection  are  enu- 
merated in  Table  2.  Shells  which  are  found  correct  are  stamped  with  the 
inspectors'  work  marks  as  indicated  in  Fig.  264. 

Table  2.     Instructions  for  Final   Inspection  of  4.5  High-explosive  Shells 

Per  Cent. 
No.  of  to  Be 

Operation  Operation  Done 

13^  Testing  base  plate  for  looseness 100 

14  Screw  gage,  fuse  hole,  high  and  low 100 

15  Examination  of  threads  in  fuse  hole 100 

16  Depth  of  recess  fuse  bush 

17  Diameter  and  angle  of  recess 

18  Internal  examination  for  flaws  and  varnish 100 

19  Weight 100 

20  Width  of  driving  band  and  distance  from  base 100 

21  Form  of  driving  band 100 

22  Distance  of  fixing  screw  hole 100 

23  Serrations  on  driving  band 100 

24  Hammer  test,  driving  band 100 

25  Center  punch  test  driving  band As  required 

26  Form  and  radius  of  head 100 

27  Concentricity  and  cylinder  gage. . .  .  100 — 200%  for  concentricity 

28  Length  overall 20 — shells  for  fixed  ammunition,     100 

29  Plug  gage,  plain  part  of  socket 100 

30  Examination  of  markings  on  body  and  base 100 

31  Examination  for  cast  and  code  number 100 

32  Diameter  of  driving  band,  high  and  low 100 

33  Diameter  of  rear  part  of  driving  band 100 

34  Stamping  work  marks,  etc 

35  Greasing  and  fixing  plugs  and  setscrews 100 

36  Ring  gage,  diameter  over  paint 100 

The  serviceable  sign,  which  is  the  British  broad  arrow  within  a  C,  will 
not,  however,  be  stamped  until  results  of  the  proof  and  varnish  tests  are 
received.  While  awaiting  the  receipt  of  these  the  shells  may  be  painted 
and  laid  out  for  drying. 

Reports  on  the  preliminary  and  final  inspection  are  kept  on  forms 
supplied  by  the  government. 

From  each  consignment  of  varnish  which  the  contractor  proposes  to 
use  one-quarter  pint  is  taken  by  the  inspector,  put  in  bottles  supplied 
for  the  purpose  and  forwarded  by  express  to  the  government  analyst. 

Varnish  is  also  scraped  from  proof  and  defective  shells.  A  sample, 
at  least  J-i  oz.  in  weight,  must  be  obtained,  and  this  governs  five  lots  of 
shells.  The  least  delay  is  occasioned  if  the  samples  are  obtained  from 
proof  shells.  The  contractor  is  not  informed  from  which  proof  shell 
scrapings  are  to  be  taken.     Inspectors  insist  on  proof  shells  being  sub- 

^  This  test  will  be  made  by  the  inspector  in  the  open  shop  as  soon  as  the  base 
plate  has  been  inserted  and  machined  ofif. 


364  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  [Sec.  II 

mitted  with  as  smooth  and  dry  surfaces  as  is  required  for  the  general  run 
of  shells.  Any  failure  on  the  contractor's  part  to  comply  with  this  results 
in  withdrawal  of  the  privilege  of  expediting  the  completion  of  proof  shells. 
The  scrapings  are  also  forwarded  by  express,  in  the  bottles  supplied,  to 
the  government  analyst. 

All  samples,  liquid  varnish  and  scrapings  must  be  clearly  labeled. 
The  label  for  the  liquid  sample  shows  the  firm  which  supplied  the  varnish, 
the  firm  which  received  it,  the  amount  of  the  consignment  and  the  date 
received.  The  bottles  containing  the  scrapings  are  labeled  to  show  the 
name  of  the  firm,  the  lot  or  lots  from  which  the  sample  is  actually  taken 
and  the  lots  which  will  be  governed  by  the  sample. 

The  results  of  the  analysis  are  reported  to  the  inspection  office  at 
Quebec,  which  notifies  the  manufacturers  when  the  lots  successfully  pass 
the  proof  and  varnish  tests. 

When  scraping  the  varnish  from  the  shell  the  following  points  are  to 
be  strictly  attended  to : 

1.  The  nose  of  the  shell  down  to  2  in.  from  the  fuse  hole  outside,  and 
the  threads,  are  to  be  wiped  clean  with  a  clean  piece  of  rag  or  waste. 

2.  The  scraper  to  be  in  a  polished  and  bright  condition,  and  kept  for 
this  purpose  only. 

3.  The  examiner  is  to  have  clean  hands. 

4.  The  paper  on  which  the  scrapings  of  varnish  are  collected  is  to  be 
clean  and  is  not  to  have  been  previously  handled. 

5.  To  insure  that  no  brass  shall  be  scraped  off  the  fuse  socket  the 
fuse  hole  must  be  protected  by  a  leather  or  cardboard  liner,  or  else  the 
sockets  must  be  removed  while  the  scraping  operation  is  being  performed 
on  the  shells. 

The  shells  are  next  washed  with  gasoline  to  prepare  them  for  painting. 
The  whole  of  the  body  is  covered  first  with  a  priming  coat  made  up  of 
the  following  ingredients:  Dry  zinc  oxide  free  from  lead,  9%  lb.;  boiled 
linseed  oil  free  from  lead,  l^^i  pints;  terebene  free  from  lead,  l^i  pints; 
spirits  of  turpentine,  1}4  pints.  It  is  of  the  utmost  importance  that  the 
ingredients  employed  in  paints  for  lyddite  shells  shall  be  absolutely  free 
from  lead  for  the  reason  already  given.  It  is  therefore  required  that 
samples  of  ingredients  be  submitted  to  the  Chief  Inspector  of  Arms  and 
Ammunition,  Quebec,  for  chemical  analysis  to  guard  against  the  presence 
of  lead  in  the  paint. 

After  the  first  coat  is  thoroughly  dry  in  the  air  the  second  coat  is 
applied.  It  consists  of  dry  Oxford  yellow  stone  ochre,  S}i  lb.;  boiled 
linseed  oil  free  from  lead,  13^  pints;  terebene  free  from  lead,  2}4  pints; 
spirits  of  turpentine,  13^  pints. 

The  paint  is  applied  to  the  surface  of  the  shell  as  it  rotates  at  about 
200  r.p.m.  on  the  electrically  driven  turntable.  The  table  is  controlled 
by  a  foot-operated  switch.     One  man  can  paint  about  40  shells  per  hour. 


Chap.  IV]  BRITISH  4.5-IN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  365 

When  the  second  coat  is  dry  the  brass  plugs  are  luted  and  screwed  into 
the  sockets,  thus  completing  the  job. 

The  luting  consists  of  80  parts  of  whiting  and  21  parts  of  oil,  both  by- 
weight,  kept  fluid  by  heating.  The  materials  are  to  be  of  the  best  quality. 
The  oil  is  20  parts  vaseline  and  1  part  castor  oil  well  mixed  before  it  is 
added  to  the  whiting. 

The  vaseline  is  to  be  a  genuine  mineral  residue  without  any  foreign 
mixture.  It  should  have  a  flash  point  not  below  400  deg.  F.  and  a  melt- 
ing point  not  below  86  deg.  F.,  and  is  to  be  free  from  solid  mineral  matter. 
The  castor  oil  must  be  genuine.  The  whiting  is  to  be  of  the  quality 
known  as  ''Town  Whiting'^  and  is  to  be  free  from  moisture. 

Luting  and  Packing. — The  luting,  when  finished,  must  be  thoroughly 
mixed,  plastic  and  free  from  lumps.  If  on  examination  of  a  sample  of 
10  per  cent,  of  the  invoice  it  is  found  that  the  sample  does  not  comply 
with  the  specification,  all  the  material  invoices  will  be  rejected  without 
further  examination.  The  luting  may  be  inspected  during  the  manu- 
facture by,  and  after  delivery  will  be  subject  to  test  and  to  the  final 
approval  of,  the  Chief  Inspector,  Royal  Arsenal,  Woolwich,  or  an  officer 
deputed  by  him. 

Substantial  wooden  boxes  are  used  for  shipping  and  two  shells  are 
packed  "heads  and  tails''  in  each  box.  A  government  inspector  ex- 
amines each  container  to  see  that  it  holds  two  shells  and  he  also  ''hefts" 
the  weight  of  each  shell.  The  cover  is  then  screwed  down  and  the  case 
is  ready  for  shipment. 


CHAPTER  V 

MANUFACTURING  BRITISH  8-IN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE 
HOWITZER  SHELLS^ 

In  the  manufacture  of  8-in.  shells,  the  problem  of  economically  hand- 
ling the  heavy  forgings  is  one  the  solution  of  which  governs  the  output  of 
a  shop  almost  as  much  as  does  the  machining  operations  involved. 

The  rough  body  forgings  weigh  in  the  neighborhood  of  250  lb.  each 
and  the  finished  shell  with  its  adapter  plug  in  place  (see  Fig.  273)  weighs 
177  lb.  Tackle  is  required  for  putting  the  work  into  and  taking  it  out 
of  the  various  machines  and,  for  efficient  operation,  the  work  should  be 
mechanically  handled  between  machines  in  its  journey  through  the  shop. 
Also,  a  one-story  machine  shop  is  better  adapted  to  the  work  than  one 
in  which  the  heavy  forgings  have  to  be  raised  to  galleries,  etc. 


FIG.  272. 


TYPES   OF   HOOKS   AND   CLAMPS   USED   IN  HANDLING   8-IN.    SHELLS  FOR  THE 
VARIOUS   OPERATIONS 


A  one-story  machine  shop  with  a  capacity  of  1,000  8-in.  high-explosive 
howitzer  shells  per  week — the  time  required  for  completing  one  shell  being 
4)^  hours — was  housed  in  a  building  88X  128-ft.,  divided  into  four  22-ft. 
saw-tooth  bays  running  lengthwise  of  the  building.  This  shop  handled 
the  rough  blanks  from  the  forge  shop  and  the  heavy  work  as  it  was  con- 
verted into  a  finished  shell  by  tackle  suspended  from  a  monorail  system, 
which  ran  down  one  bay  and  up  the  next  in  a  zigzag  passage  through  the 
building.  Various  types  of  hooks  and  clamps  were  required  at  different 
stages  in  the  manufacture  of  the  shell  (see  Fig.  272)  but,  except  for  the 
interruptions  at  the  machines,  for  inspections,  etc.,  the  work  traveled 
forward  expeditiously. 

1  Fred  H.  Colvin,  Associate  Editor,  American  Machinist, 

366 


Chap.  V]        BRITISH  8-IN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  HOWITZER  SHELLS        367 


368 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


Making  the  Shell. — The  rough  blanks,  the  body  forging  and  the 
adapter  block,  undergo  twenty-five  operations,  18  on  the  body  and  7  on 
the  adapter,  before  they  leave  the  shop,  in  the  form  of  finished  shells,  for 
the  bonded  warehouses. 

The  sequence  of  operations,  together  with  illustrations  of  the  work 
at  the  various  stages,  is  as  follows: 


SEQUENCE  OF  OPERATIONS 

.1.  Drilling  the  shell  nose, 

2.  Cutting  off  open  end  of  forging. 

3.  Rough-turning  shell  body. 

4.  Rough-boring  shell  body. 

5.  Finish-boring  shell  body. 

6.  Finish-turning  shell  body. 

7.  Boring  and  tapping  nose  for  fuse  plug. 

8.  Drilling  and  tapping  for  grub  screw. 

9.  Cutting  band  groove. 

10.  Banding. 

11.  Counterboring  and  threading  for  adapter  plug. 

A.  Facing  and  first  rough-turning  of  adapter  plug. 

B.  Drilling  wrench  holes  in  adapter  plug. 

C.  Second  rough-turning  and  roughing  out  contour  of  adapter  plug. 

D.  Finish- turning  outside  and  contour  of  adapter  plug. 

E.  Roughing  adapter  plug  thread. 

F.  Finishing  adapter  plug  thread. 

G.  Turning  fillet  and  squaring  head  of  adapter  plug. 

12.  Screwing-in  adapter  plug. 

13.  Facing  shell  to  weight. 

14.  Stamping  end  of  shell. 

15.  Removing  adapter  plug. 

16.  Washing  shells. 

17.  Varnishing  inside  of  shells. 

18.  Turning  copper  band. 


OPERATION    1        DRILLING    NOSE 

Machine  Used — W.  F.  &  John  Barnes  vertical  drilling  machine. 
Fixtures — Revolving  stand  with  drill  bushings. 
Gages — None. 
Production — 8  min.  each. 


Chap.  V]        BRITISH  8-IN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  HOWITZER  SHELLS        369 


OPERATION  2.       CUTTING  OFF  OPEN  END 

Machine  Used — Root  &  Van  Dervoort 
special. 

Fixtures — Chuck  length  stop  and 
handUng  truck. 

Gages — ^Length. 

Cutting  Speed — 35  to  45  ft.  per  min. 

Production — 8  min.  each. 


OPERATION    3.      ROUGH    TURN    OUTSIDE 

Machine  Used — Root  &  Van  Dervoort 
special  lathe. 

Fixtures — Mandrel  and  forming  cam 
for  tool  slides. 

Gages — Snap  for  outside  diameter; 
nose  gage. 

Cutting  Speed — 55  ft.  per  min. 

Production — 35  min.;  expect  to  reduce 
to  25. 


OPERATIONS   4   AND    5.      ROUGH   AND    FINISH  BORE 

Machine  Used — Root  &  Van  Dervoort  special. 

Fixtures  and  Tools — Boring  bars  and  formers. 

Gages — Diameter  and  contour. 

Cutting  Speed — 55  ft.  per  min. 

Production — 25  min.  roughing,  20  min.  finish.     " 


24 


370 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


OPERATION    6.      FINISH    TURN 

Machine  Used — Root  &  Van  Dervoort 
special. 

Fixtures  and  Tools — Mandrel,  one 
round  tool  former. 

Gages — Diameter  and  contour. 

Production — 30  min.  each. 


OPERATION    7.      BORE    AND    FACE    NOSE 

Machines  Used — Root  &  Van  Dervoort 
special,  Boker  drilling  machine. 

Fixtures  and  Tools — Collet  chuck, 
Kelley  reamer,  Murchey  tap. 

Gages — Diameter,  thread  and  bevel 
surface. 

Production — 6  min.  each. 


OPERATION  8.   DRILL  AND  TAP  FOR 
GRUB  SCREW 

Machines  Used — Portable  drill  and 
bench  drill. 

Fixtures  and  Tools — Pot  chuck,  drilling 
jig,  drill  and  tap. 

Gages — ^Location  of  holes,  diameter 
and  thread. 

Production — 3  to  6  min. 


OPERATION  9.      CUTTING  WAVE   GROOVE 

Machine  Used — Root  &  Van  Dervoort 
special. 

Fixture  and  Tools — See  Fig.  278. 

Gages — Diameter,  width,  wave  and 
undercut. 

Production — 20  min.  each. 


Chap.  V]        BRITISH  8-IN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  HOWITZER  SHELLS        371 


OPERATION   10.      BANDING 

Machine    Used — West    banding   ma- 
chine. 

Fixtures  and  Tools — None. 
Gages — None. 
Production — 3  min.  each. 


OPERATION    11.       COUNTERBORING    AND 
THREADING    FOR    ADAPTER    PLUG 

Machine  Used — Root  &  Van  Dervoort 
Special. 

Fixtures  and  Tools — Boring  bar  and 
Murchey  tap. 

Gages — Diameter  and  thread. 

Production — 15  min.  each. 


OPERATION  A.      FACING  AND  FIRST  ROUGH- 
TURNING  ADAPTER  PLUG 


OPERATION  B.      DRILLING  WRENCH  HOLES 
ADAPTER   PLUG 


Machine  Used — Potter  &  Johnson  Machine  Used — Vertical  drilling  ma- 
lathe,  chine. 

Fixtures   and    Tools — Regular  equip-  Fixtures  and  Tools — Drilling  fixture, 

ment.  stop  drill  socket  and  collar. 


372 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


OPERATIONS  C  AND  D.  ROUGH  AND 
FINISH-TURNING  AND  CONTOUR  ADAPTER 
PLUG 


OPERATIONS  E   AND   F.       CUTTING  THREAD 
WITH  DIE   ADAPTER  PLUG 


Machine    Used — Baker    heavy    duty 

Machine    Used — Potter    &    Johnson,      drill. 
Root  &  Van  Dervoort.  Fixtures  and  Tools — Tool  holder  and 

Fixtures  and   Tools — Special  cutters,      Murchey  die. 
chuck  and  tools. 


OPERATION    G.      TURNING    FILLET    AND 
SQUARING  HEAD  ADAPTER  PLUG 

Machine  Used — Engine  lathe. 
Fixtures  and  Tools — Sleeve  chuck. 


OPERATION     12.       SCREWING    IN    ADAPTER 
PLUG 

Machine  Used — None. 
Fixtures   and   Tools — Pot   chuck  and 
pin  wrench. 

Production — 5  min.  each. 


Chap.  V]        BRITISH  8-IN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  HOWITZER  SHELLS        373 


OPERATION    13.       FACE    TO    WEIGHT 


OPERATION  14.  r      lUNC    P   sTD  OF  SHELL 


Machine  Used — Root  &  Van  Dervoort  Machine  Used — None, 

special.  Fixtures    and    Tools — Guiding    plate, 

Fixtures — Scales  and  clamp.  dies  and  hand  tools. 
Production  Time — 15  min.  each. 


OPERATION    15.       REMOVING   ADAPTER    PLUG 


Machine  Used — Electric  drill. 
Fixtures  and  Tools — Special  wrench. 


OPERATION    16.      WASHING    SHELLS 

Machine  Used — None. 

Fixtures  and  Tools — Special  frame  and  tanks. 

Cleansing  Liquids — Hot  soda  and  water,  hot  water. 


OPERATION   17.      VARNISHING  INSIDE  OF  OPERATION  18.       TURNING  COPPER  BAND 

SHELLS 

Machine  Used — Root  &  Van  Dervoort 
lathe. 


Machine  Used — None. 


Fixtures    and    Tools — Special    trucks,  Fixtures    and    Tools — Roughing    and 

air  and  varnish  tanks,  baking  oven.  undercutting  tools. 

Baking     Temperature— 300     to     325 
deg.  F. 


374 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


The  first  operation  is  the  drilling  of  a  hole  in  the  nose,  which  is  done 
on  a  W.  F.'  &  John  Barnes  drilling  machine.  A  special  drilling  fixture 
of  the  turntable  variety  carries  two  mandrels,  upon  which  the  rough 
blanks  from  the  forge  shop  are  slipped.  These  mandrels  have  a  ring  at 
the  upper  end,  which  fits  inside  the  shell  near  the  nose,  so  as  to  center 
the  shell  from  the  inside,  but  at  the  same  time  leaves  plenty  of  room  for 


FIG.    274,      DETAILS   OF   DRILLING    FIXTURE    AND    GAGES 


the  nose  drill  to  break  through  without  interfering  with  the  mandrel. 
Details  of  these  mandrels  appear  in  Fig.  274,  only]one  spindle  being  given. 
The  post  A  carries  the  centering  plunger  B,  which  is  kept  in  the  upper 
position  by  the  spring  C.  The  weight  of  the  shell  forces  the  plunger  B 
down,  so  that  the  tapered  lower  end  forces  out  the  three  fingers  D  to 
center  the  lower  end  of  the  shell  while  the  collar  on  B  centers  the  upper 


Chap.  V]        BRITISH  8-IN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  HOWITZER  SHELLS        375 

end.  The  shell  is  centered  by  the  hole  in  the  forging,  it  being  easier  to 
take  care  of  eccentricity  on  the  outside,  where  turning  tools  and  carriages 
can  be  made  stiffer,  than  in  boring.  The  spring  E  throws  the  finger  D 
in  when  the  shell  is  removed.  * 

The  posts  are  mounted  on  the  turntable  F,  which  is  carried  on  a 
central  ball  bearing  H  and  has  two  indexing  positions.  The  base  G 
carries  the  indexing  pin  J  operated  by  the  lever  /  and  is  also  provided 
with  a  raised  edge  to  retain  the  lubrication.  Stepping  on  the  lever  I 
withdraws  the  indexing  pin  J  and  also  throws  the  ball  bearing  into  action, 
making  it  easy  to  turn  the  table  F.  Releasing  the  lever  allows  the  table 
to  rest  on  the  large  and  substantial  annular  bearing  of  the  base. 

This  drilling  fixture  has  a  swinging  plate,  which  centers  itself  over  the 
shell  to  be  drilled  and  also  carries  the  drill  bushing.  It  can  be  swung  in 
either  direction,  so  that  only  one  drill  bushing  is  required  for  both 
mandrels. 

After  the  hole  is  drilled,  the  shell  goes  to  a  special  Root  &  Van  Der- 
voort  cutting-off  machine  with  a  spindle  large  enough  for  the  shell  to 
be  slipped  inside  and  held  by  three  substantial  screws.  This  places  the 
shell  inside  the  main  bearing  and  avoids  all  overhang,  permitting  a 
cutting  speed  of  from  35  to  40  ft.  per  min.  with  a  heavy  feed.  In  order 
to  assist  in  centering  the  shell  so  that  the  ends  shall  be  square  with  the 


■ 


a 


3=0 


1_L. 


FIG.    275.       DRIVING   MANDREL  FOR  SHELL 


bore,  there  is  a  tapered  stop  or  plug  on  the  inside  of  the  spindle,  which 
enters  the  hole  already  drilled  in  the  nose  and  centers  that  end  of  the 
shell,  while  the  outer  end  is  clamped  by  the  three  screws  in  the  chuck 
previously  referred  to.  This  stop  also  locates  the  shell  for  cutting  off 
to  length. 

After  this  cutting-off  operation  the  heat  number,  which  had  previously 
been  stamped  on  the  body  of  the  shell,  is  transferred  to  the  end,  to 
prevent  its  being  lost  in  the  turning  operation. 

Rough-turning  comes  next  the  shell  being  tested  at  the  point  to  see 
if  it  will  true  up  to  the  required  size.  In  case  the  point  is  somewhat 
eccentric,  it  can  be  coaxed  over  a  limited  amount  by  means  of  special 


376 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  11 


brass  cups,  of  varying  thickness,  which  are  placed  over  the  ends  of  one 
or  more  of  the  locating  and  holding  points  in  the  work-holding  mandrel. 
These  mandrels,  illustrated  in  Fig.  275,  are  operated  by  air  chucks.  The 
shell  is  set  by  the  bent  gage,  Fig.  276,  so  as  to  conform  to  the  location 
of  the  cam  at  the  back  of  the  lathe.  This  gages  from  the  flange  of  the 
shell  mandrel  to  the  point  of  the  shell. 

SHEET  IRON    ^l  iV"' 
N0.I6  6A6E        I        ' 
CYANIDE 


t?^ 


'7    ," 

-  r-3i 


■>] 


/>^ 


o 


^8  -^        T 

A  B 

FIG.    276.       GAGE  FOR  SETTING  SHELL  FOR  ROUGH-TURNING,  OPERATION  3;  B,  THICKNESS 

OF    NOSE 


Two  tools  are  used  in  the  rough-turning — one  starting  at  the  nose  and 
the  other  about  midway  of  the  shell.  They  are  held  in  independent  tool 
slides  on  the  carriage.  One  slide — the  one  with  the  nose  tool — is 
controlled  by  the  forming  cam  at  the  back  of  the  lathe. 

This  operation  is  also  performed  on  a  Root  &  Van  Dervoort  special 
lathe  having  the  same  type  of  headstock  as  the  cutting-off  machine. 
The  main  bearing  in  each  case  is  14  in.  in  diameter  by  1%  in.  long,  the 
rear  bearing  being  7  in.  in  diameter  by  7)-^  in.  long.     The  same  lathe 


<i>4^fi^ 

V//. 

7--T 

r 

FIG.    277.       DETAILS    OF    CAST-STEEL  BORING   BAR. 


head  is  used  for  both  the  turning  and  the  boring  lathe,  a  special  mandrel. 
Fig.  275,  being  bolted  to  the  end  of  the  hollow  lathe  spindle  for  the 
outside  operations. 

The  lathes  for  the  internal  work  are  fitted  with  special  steel  draw-in 
collets  operated  by  air  and  fitting  the  roughly  turned  shell. 

Rough-boring  comes  first,  the  shell  fitting  inside  the  lathe  spindle  as 


Chap.  V]        BRITISH  8-IN.  HIGH  EXPLOSIVE  HOWITZER  SHELLS        377 

in  cutting  off.  A  heavy  boring  bar  made  of  a  steel  casting  is  used  for 
this  work,  being  guided  for  contour  by  the  slotted  cam  at  the  back  of 
the  lathe  bed.  Details  of  the  boring  bar  will  be  found  in  Fig.  277. 
Finish-boring  is  done  in  a  similar  manner  on  an  adjoining  lathe,  the  work 
progressing  from  one  machine  to  the  next,  in  order  to  reduce  handling 
to  a  minimum. 

Finish-turning  is  performed  by  a  single  round  tool  that  is  held  sta- 
tionary and  turned  only  when  it  is  desirable  to  present  a  fresh  cutting 
edge  to  the  work.  This  method  gives  a  fairly  broad  contact  and  leaves 
a  smooth  finish  on  the  work.  After  the  finish-turning,  the  heat  number 
is  stamped  on  the  nose  of  the  shell,  so  as  to  preserve  it  when  the  outer 
end  has  been  faced  off  to  length  and  to  secure  the  specified  weight. 

Boring  and  tapping  the  nose  for  the  fuse,  the  next  operation  is  done 
under  a  Baker  vertical  drilling  machine,  the  reamer  and  tap  being  changed 
by  means  of  a  magic  chuck. 

DrilUng  and  tapping  for  the  fixing  or  grub  screw,  operation  8,  com- 
prise one  of  the  vexatious  operations  on  a  shell  of  this  kind.  The  pro- 
cedure which  is  proving  satisfactory,  both  for  drilling  and  tapping, 
however,  is  the  use  of  sensitive  vertical  bench  drills,  under  which  the 
shells  are  rolled,  along  a  bench,  until  they  come  under  the  drill.  ^ 


FIG.  278.   TURRET  FOR  WAVE  GROOVING  AND  BACK  GROOVING  TOOLS 
ON  SAME  CARRIAGE 


The  wave  groove  for  the  band  is  the  succeeding,  or  ninth,  operation, 
for  which  another  Root  &  Van  Dervoort  machine  is  made  to  serve  by  us- 
ing a  special  turret  and  a  cross-shde.  Fig.  278.  First,  two  parting  tools  A, 
Fig.  278,  come  in  from  the  back  and  cut  down  the  side  of  the  groove. 
Then  a  tool  block  B  is  swung  in  from  the  pivot  C.  It  carries  the  tool 
which  chamfers  the  end  of  the  shell  and  faces  it  square  with  the  groove 
for  the  banding  operation. 

Then  six  grooves  are  cut  in  the  band  space  by  a  gang  of  parting  tools 
F,  to  break  up  the  width  of  the  chip,  which  would  be  about  2  in.  wide. 
The  metal  that  is  left  is  faced  down  with  the  flat  cutter  G.     The  waves 


378  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  [Sec.  II 

are  then  cut  with  the  formed  cutter  H  by  means  of  the  wave  cam  on  the 
face  of  the  chuck  and  the  roller  7.  The  sides  of  the  groove  are  undercut 
by  two  tools  J  moving  at  the  proper  angle  and  controlled  by  the  handle 
K,  which  operates  through  a  worm  and  racks  on  the  back  of  the  tools. 
The  indexing  is  by  the  side  handle,  which  first  withdraws  the  bolt  and 
then  turns  the  turret.  This  arrangement  gives  a  particularly  con- 
venient mode  of  operating  tool-post  turrets  of  this  kind.  Then  comes 
the  first  government  inspection  for  the  operations  as  far  as  they  have 
proceeded. 

Banding  is  done  on  the  West  hydraulic  machine,  the  band  being 
heated  in  a  Stewart  gas-burning  furnace.  Considerable  experimenting 
was  necessary  to  secure  entire  satisfaction  in  this  operation,  as  it  is  a 
large  band  to  force  into  place  so  as  to  fill  completely  the  undercut  at  the 
side  of  the  band  groove. 

It  has  been  found  that  1,150  deg.  F.  gives  the  best  results  with  about 
2,400  lb.  pressure,  there  being  three  squeezes  in  order  to  seat  the  ring 
properly  in  every  way.  It  was  also  found  that  the  width  of  the 
ring  plays  quite  an  important  part  in  having  it  fill  the  undercut.  Best 
results  are  secured  by  turning  the  ring  to  )^4  in.  less  than  the  minimum 
width  of  the  groove  when  cold.  This  means  that  a  slight  shaving  takes 
place  from  the  ring  when  it  is  forced  into  place,  but  it  insures  enough 
metal  at  the  bottom  of  the  band  groove  to  flow  nicely  into  the  corners 
of  the  undercut.     Production  time,  3  min.  each. 

Next  come  the  counterboring  and  threading  for  the  adapter  plug 
and  for  the  open  end  of  the  shell.  The  threading  operation  and  the 
plug  itself  are  both  interesting.  The  shell  is  held  in  the  same  type 
of  lathe  as  for  cutting  off  in  the  second  operation.  The  tools  con- 
sist of  a  boring  bar  and  a  Murchey  tap,  mounted  in  a  specially  heavy 
turret.  When  the  toughness  of  the  steel  is  considered  and  also  the  fact 
that  this  thread  is  5.435  in.  in  outside  diameter  with  an  8-pitch,  left- 
handed  Whitworth  thread,  it  will  be  seen  that  considerable  metal  must 
be  removed  at  each  tapping  operation.  The  shells  are  bored,  counter- 
bored  at  the  end  of  the  thread  and  the  tap  run  in  at  10  r.p.m.,  making 
exceptionally  fast  threading  for  this  diameter.  A  finishing  tap  is  also 
used,  in  order  to  maintain  the  thread  size.  Production  time,  15  min. 
each. 

The  thread  is  then  cleaned  out  with  a  brush  and  an  air  jet,  prepara- 
tory to  the  insertion  of  the  adapter. 

The  adapter  plug,  which  screws  into  the  base  of  the  shell,  is  made 
from  a  forging  weighing  30  lb.  The  first  operation,  is  to  face  and  rough- 
turn  the  head  on  a  large  Potter  &  Johnston  machine,  the  regular 
tool  equipment  being  used  for  this  purpose.  The  piece  is  chucked 
by  the  head  and  rough-turned  on  the  outside,  while  the  curved  contour 
is  also  roughed  Out  by  flat  cutters  approximating  the  correct  form. 


Chap.  V]        BRITISH  8-IN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  HOWITZER  SHELLS        379 

Next  comes  the  drilling  of  the  two  ^-in.  holes  for  the  pin  wrench  and 
also  for  holding  in  some  of  the  future  operations.  The  drilling  fixture  for 
this  operation  is  shown  in  Fig.  279  and  the  stop  drill  socket  and  collar  in 
Fig.  280.     The  gage  for  the  holes  is  illustrated  in  Fig.  281. 


Adap+er  Plug 
FIG.    279.      DRILLING   FIXTURE    FOR   PLUG 


For  the  next  four  operations,  the  plug  is  driven  by  two  pins  fitting 
into  the  wrench  holes.  The  driving  holder  A,  Fig.  282,  is  bolted  against 
the  face  of  a  three-jaw  chuck,  the  slots  in  the  holder  accommodating 
the  ends  of  the  jaws.  The  driving  stress,  however,  is  carried  by  the 
two  steel  pins. 


■^. 


M^CMWF STEEL    T^  'f ' "',»' "\" 

(Case  //g/TTfe?;— sJ^^ii '::a  >• 


■5k 


H     MACHINE  STEEL 
H     (Case  Harden) 


-4i 


■Ji*-- 'i'.-. 


>|     7'"-l6Th'ds.perIrKk 

>t<^>j     u.s.sm 


FIG.  280.   STOP  DRILL  SOCKET  AND  COLLAR 


The  third  and  fourth  operations  on  the  adapter  plug  are  performed 
on  both  Potter  &  Johnson  and  Root  &  Van  Dervoort  machines  and  con- 
sist; 1st,  in  rough-turning  the  outside  and  roughing  the  contour  of  the 


380 


HlGH-EXPLOSlVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


plug;  and  2d,  in  finishing  off  the  sides  and  contour.     The  tools  for  these 
operations  are  detailed  in  Fig.  282. 

The  thread  is  then  cut  under  a  Baker  vertical  heavy-duty  drilling 


\< S85±aOO/ ->i 

*  ^-MACHINE  STEEL-.^ 


074 


IIG.  28L   GAGE  FOR  HOLES  IN  PLUG 


i^ 

1 

' 

r_-_-_-.. 

— 

/ 

L 

y 

-.. 

TOOL  STEEL 
(Wiihou-f-  Serraiions, 
Harden  and  Grind, 
Finishing) 


-TOOL  STEEL 
(Will  Serraiions, 
Harden  and  Grind,  Rt)ughtng) 

/|'.— >«.- — 2'- ->f lOk'-'- 


/I 


tr4' 


FOR6ED  HIGH- 
SPEED STEEL 


Drill !     ! 

1 

! 

V 

U 

<....lk- 


f*-3->|  Drill ^fo 

^suif  Collar. 


Necking  Tool 


'■2,§D.  case- 
harden  pins 
pressed  in       j 

CA^  IRON 


Vh 


Holder  for  Adop+er  Plugs 
FIG.    282.       CHUCK   AND    TOOLS    FOR   PLUG 


machine  furnished  with  a  Murchey  self-opening  die  and  a  special  knock- 
out that  has  been  arranged  particularly  for  this  work.  The  latter  con- 
sists of  two  fingers  of  small  section,  which  go  down  between  two  of  the 
chasers,  opening  the  die  when  they  strike  the  head. 


Chap.  V]        BRITISH  8-IN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  HOWITZER  SHELLS        381 

The  thread  is  an  8  to  the  inch,  of  Whitworth  form  and  left-handed, 
and  the  cutting  is  done  at  8  r.p.m.,  using  for  a  lubricant  Sol-cut  with  a 
trace  of  tri-sodium  phosphate  added  to  it.  It  has  proved  much  more 
satisfactory  than  the  cutting  oil  that  was  first  tried,  as  it  leaves  a  better 
finish  on  the  work  and  is  apparently  easier  on  the  die. 

The  plug  is  held  for  threading  by  simply  placing  the  two  wrench 
holes  over  dowels  in  the  holding  fixture  on  the  drilling  table.  The  opera- 
tor makes  a  small  punch  mark  to  show  which  way  the  plug  was  placed 
on  the  fixture  for  the  first  threading. 

The  feed  is  geared  so  as  to  lead  the  die  at  its  proper  rate,  and  the 
punch  mark  allows  the  plug  to  be  replaced  for  the  finish  (operation  F^ 
the  sixth  on  the  plug).  By  bringing  the  die  head  down  on  a  distance 
block  before  throwing  in  the  feed,  the  proper  lead  is  maintained,  and 
there  is  no  trouble  experienced  in  catching  threads.  The  finishing  die 
removes  %4^  in.  and  leaves  a  good  thread  on  the  plug.  The  roughing 
cut  is  taken  at  the  rate  of  8  r.p.m.,  while  the  finish  cut  is  speeded  up 
to  12  r.p.m. 

For  the  final  operation  on  the  plug  as  a  separate  piece  it  is  screwed  into 
a  sleeve  chuck.  This  is  to  bottom  it  so  as  to  allow  the  fillet  to  be  turned 
and  the  under  side  of  the  head  to  be  squared.  The  outside  is  then  turned 
true  with  the  thread  and  the  fillet  turned,  this  being  done  on  an  engine 
lathe.     The  finished  plug  weighs  about  19  lb. 

The  finished  plug  is  then  screwed  into  place  in  the  shell.  For  this 
operation,  the  twelfth,  the  shell  is  held  in  a  clamping  stand  of  the  pot 
chuck  type  and  the  adapter  screwed  firmly  in  place  with  a  long  handled 
pin  wrench. 

With  the  adapter  snugly  fitted,  the  large  end  of  the  shell  is  faced  to 
weight  on  a  special  Root  &  Van  Dervoort  lathe.  The  shell  is  held  in  a 
regular  draw-in  chuck  and  over  the  lathe  is  a  jib  crane  which  carries  a 
beam  scale.  The  shell  is  carefully  weighed  before  being  placed  in  the 
chuck.  It  is  then  chucked  and  an  amount  of  metal  faced  from  the 
adapter  end  to  bring  the  shell  to  weight.  The  removal  of  J'^2  in.  of  both 
shell  and  adapter  reduces  the  weight  6%  oz.,  while  a  ^2-1^.  cut  takes 
off  1  lb.  4  oz.;  and  a  J-^-in.,  3  lb.  5%  oz.  An  accurate  table  giving  fine 
weight  records  is  hung  in  plain  sight  of  the  operator  so  that  he  can  see 
at  a  glance  the  exact  thickness  of  cut  required  for  a  particular  reduction 
in  weight. 

After  facing  to  weight,  the  end  is  again  stamped  with  the  heat  number 
and  other  symbols,  operation  14,  this  work  being  done  by  hand  through 
a  specially  made  guiding  plate.  The  adapter  plug  is  then  removed  for 
cleaning  the  inside  and  varnishing,  an  electrically  driven  drill  properly 
geared  down  serving  for  this  purpose. 

The  shells  are  cleaned  with  hot  soda  and  water  in  a  special  device. 
It  consists  of  a  framework  A,  built  up  of  wood  and  steel,  into  which  the 


382 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


W^ 


VS^^ 


FIG.    283.      SECTION 
OF   TRUCK 


shells  are  set  point  down.  The  whole  framework  is  then  lowered  into 
a  tank  of  hot  soda  water,  where  it  remains  as  long  as  necessary.  The 
shells  are  next  washed  in  plain  water,  after  which  they  are  ready  for 
varnishing. 

The  varnishing  is  done  by  a  different  method  than  usually  employed. 
For  this  purpose  special  trucks  have  been  made,  the 
upper  part  consisting  of  a  framework  that  carries  12 
shells,  nose  down,  in  a  cast-iron  frame.  The  con- 
struction of  this  frame  is  given  in  Fig.  283,  a  bronze 
collar  with  the  same  curve  as  the  nose  of  the  shell 
being  placed  in  the  lower  section  to  hold  the  shell 
firmly  without  bruising. 

The  truck  with  its  load  of  shells  is  run  beside  the 
varnishing  tanks,  which  are  shown  in  outline  in  Fig.  284.  An  elbow 
is  screwed  into  the  nose  of  a  shell,  completely  covering  the  threaded 
portion  and  thereby  preventing 
varnish  from  getting  into  it.  The 
elbow  is  then  connected  to  a  hose 
running  to  the  varnish  tank. 
Manipulating  the  three-way  cock 
allows  pressure  from  the  air  tank 
to  force  varnish  up  into  the  shell, 
which  is  stopped  when  the  height 
reaches     the     recess     below     the 

adapter-plug  thread.  The  air  is  then  shut  off,  and  the  varnish  returns 
by  gravity  to  its  tank,  allowing  just  enough  to  adhere  to  cover  the 
inside  of  the  shell.     With  the  elbow  left  in  place,  to  prevent  the  varnish 

from  running  down  into  the 
thread,  the  truck  load  of  shells 
is  run  into  the  baking  oven 
where  they  are  held  at  a  tem- 
perature of  300  to  325  deg.  for 
a  sufficient  period  thoroughly  to 
bake  the  varnish. 

The  bands  are  next  turned 
on    a    short-bed    Root    &    Van 
Dervoort  lathe  by  means  of  two 
formed   tools.      The  front   tool 
merely  roughs  out  the  band  to 
the    approximate    shape,    while 
the  rear  undercutting  or  shaving 
tool  gives  it  the  final  form,  including  the  proper  serrations  at  the  point. 
Final  inspection  comes  next,  after  which  the  grommet  or  endless- 
rope  band  is  slipped  over  the  shell  close  up  to  the  front  of  the  upper  band 


FIG.    284.      THE  VARNISHING   TANKS 


FIG.    285.       GROMMET   IN   PLACE 


Chap.  V]        BRITISH  8-lN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  HOWITZER  SHELLS        383 

as  in  Fig.  285.  The  grommet  remains  on  the  shell,  as  it  affords  protection 
to  the  band,  both  in  handling  and  in  shipping.  Then  the  plug  is  screwed 
into  the  body,  and  the  shells  are  boxed  for  shipment,  one  shell  in  a  box. 
During  the  course  of  manufacture,  the  shell  body  is  subjected  to 
some  seventeen  rigid  inspections,  in  addition  to  the  examination  of  the 
rough  forgings  and  the  final  shop  inspection.  The  adapter  plug  is  exam- 
ined likewise  at  various  stages  of  development.  Accurate  gages  are 
essential  and  exacting  inspection  instructions  are  issued  as  a  precaution- 
ary measure.  Standard  instructions  for  inspecting  the  main  shell  are 
as  follows: 

INSPECTION  INSTRUCTION 

Inspection  of  Rough  Forging — The  rough  forging  is  examined  for  heat  number 
and  for  the  two  acceptance  marks.  If  the  heat  number  should  come  directly  on  the 
nose  of  the  shell,  it  is  transferred  by  the  inspector  to  the  side  of  the  nose  of  the  shell. 
The  shells  are  inspected  for  lengths,  outside  diameter  and  inside  diameter,  which  is 
done  by  the  use  of  calipers,  and  are  also  measured  for  concentricity  by  the'  use  of  a 
special  concentricity  gage. 

From  four  to  eight  shells  are  placed  on  the  bench  by  the  inspector's  helper,  and 
the  inspector  does  the  measuring,  carefully  marking  the  amount  of  concentricity  at 
the  high  point  of  the  shell.  This  marking  is  done  with  a  brush  and  yellow  ochre. 
Shell  forgings  are  piled  so  that  all  forgings  eccentric  }-i  in.  or  more  are  in  one  pile, 
while  forgings  that  come  eccentric  }-i  in.  or  less  are  piled  in  another  pile. 

The  forgings  are  also  inspected  for  deep  flaws  or  grooves.  All  forgings  not  com- 
ing up  to  requirements  are  held  for  the  decision  of  the  chief  inspector,  who  in  turn 
takes  up  any  questions  as  to  the  availability  of  the  forgings  with  the  British  inspector. 

Operation  1. — Drill  and  Rough-Face — The  length  of  hole  is  carefully  inspected 
by  the  use  of  gage  provided.  The  inspector  also  looks  through  the  hole  in  the  nose 
of  shell  from  the  rear  end,  ascertaining  if  the  hole  is  reasonably  concentric  with  the 
bore.     The  inspector  ascertains  that  there  are  no  flaws  in  the  hole. 

Operation  2. — Cut-Off  End — The  inspector  ascertains  that  the  operator  has  trans- 
ferred the  heat  number  from  the  nose  of  the  shell  to  the  end  which  has  been  cut  off. 
The  length  of  the  shell  is  ascertained  by  use  of  gage  provided.  The  forging  also  is 
inspected  for  cracks  or  flaws. 

Operation  3. — Rough-Turn — The  inspector  ascertains  that  the  outside  diameter 
is  within  the  limits  according  to  special  gage  and  also  ascertains  that  the  contour  of 
the  outside  is  according  to  the  special  gage.  The  diameter  of  the  small  end  is  care- 
fully measured  with  a  special  limit  gage.  The  finish  is  examined,  and  care  is  taken 
to  see  that  there  is  no  step  of  appreciable  depth  in  the  forging,  and  also  the  whole 
exterior  surface  is  carefully  examined  for  flaws. 

Operation  4. — Rough-Bore — The  inside  diameter  is  checked  with  limit  gages 
provided.  The  inside  contour  is  checked  with  gage  provided  and  the  length  of  the 
hole  in  front  carefully  checked  to  see  that  same  will  clean  up.  A  special  gage  must 
be  provided  for  this.  The  interior  surface  is  carefully  inspected  by  the  aid  of  a  look- 
ing-glass and  a  small  electric  light,  or  other  suitable  means  to  ascertain  that  there  are 
no  flaws  or  cracks  in  the  forging. 


384 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


TOOL  STEEL    ^ 
(Harden) 


s.imo.m 


(Mernal  gage  fo        , 

^1  — .  ^.C^-JOOLJSTEEI      '^^^  '  ^' 

_jg|  ix^\^'s  ■>if[>^S^^\3*  (Harden)  si 

-^\^  KT  *-^//y  /  U— i-. — ^' ... 

i|    ^•::^■«il__^;i^/•^<.7.       '-cold-rolled 
f~       ■  c 


COLD-ROLLED  STEEL 
i  '^-MACH.  STEEL 
(Case  harden) 

B 


FIG.    286.       GAGES    FOR    OPERATIONS    4    AND    5 

Operation  5. — Finish-Bore — The  inside  diameter  is  checked  according  to  gages. 
The  contour  of  the  inside  is  checked  according  to  gages,  and  the  general  concentricity 
of  the  shell  is  ascertained  by  the  use  of  calipers.  The  length  of  hole  and  nose  is  also 
carefully  watched  for,  and  a  special  gage  is  used.  Special  care  is  taken  to  ascertain 
that  the  proper  finish  is  obtained  in  the  bore,  any  irregularities  being  cause  for  the 
rejection  or  holding  for  correction  of  the  work.     The  shell  is  also  inspected  for  flaws. 


-lOi- 


->t<-5^ 


"^ 


E^ 


■14.198- 


-^^^  -0.0005'"- 


■'— /4.^6^" >i 

TOOL  STEEL 
FIG.   287.       GAGES   FOR  LENGTH   AND   WALL  THICKNESS 


Operation  6. — Bore  and  Thread  Nose — The  final  stamping  of  the  heat  number  on 
the  rounded  part  of  the  outside  of  the  shell  is  ascertained.  The  outside  diameter  in 
front  of  the  copper  band  is  checked  with  gages  provided.  The  diameter  of  the 
sides  below  the  copper  band  is  checked  with  gages  provided.  The  diameter  of  the 
face  of  the  nose  is  also  carefully  checked.  The  outside  finish  is  inspected  and  must 
be  as  good  or  better  than  the  sample. 

The  diameter  of  the  side  of  the  hole  is  carefully  ascertained  by  the  use  of  limit 
gages  provided,  and  the  diameter  and  angle  of  facing  are  carefully  checked.  The 
finish  of  the  thread  is  carefully  inspected  and  is  also  inspected  for  flaws  or  chipping 
out  in  this  thread. 

Operation  7. — Drill  and  Tap  for  Grub  Screw — The  distance  of  the  hole  from  the 
face  is  ascertained,  and  size  of  the  thread  is  tried  with  a  tap  used  as  a  plug  gage.     The 


Chap.  V]        BRITISH  8-IN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  HOWITZER  SHELLS        385 

appearance  of  the  thread  is  carefully  checked,  and  if  the  thread  causes  a  burr  on  the 
large  thread  in  the  nose  the  shell  body  must  be  retapped. 

Operation  8. — Wave  Grooves — The  width  of  the  groove,  the  diameter  at  the  bottom 
of  the  groove,  the  diameter  of  the  waves,  the  throw  of  the  waves  and  the  amount  of 
undercutting  are  carefully  checked  by  the  use  of  gages  provided.  The  finish  of  the 
waves  and  the  groove  in  general  is  carefully  checked. 

Operation  9. — Bands — All  copper  bands  are  examined  before  they  are  placed  on 
the  shell,  to  ascertain  that  no  scale  is  on  the  inside  of  same.  After  the  shell  is  banded, 
the  inspector  tests  the  band  by  the  use  of  a  very  small  hammer,  placing  his  left  finger 
on  the  part  near  where  he  strikes  a  blow,  and  he  can  readily  ascertain  whether  the 
band  has  been  properly  seated.  Great  care  is  exercised  at  all  times  so  that  careful 
inspection  is  maintained  on  this  point. 


[Case  Harden)  ^ 


,.-CAST  IRON 


MACHINE  5TEEL(Case  Harden)  ^9* 

Wave  6age 
FIG.    288.       GAGES   FOR   OPERATION   9 


Operation  10. — Thread  and  Counterbore — The  forging  is  carefully  inspected  for 
size  of  counterbore,  for  fillet  at  bottom  of  counterbore,  for  smoothness  of  machining, 
for  correct  size  of  thread  and  depth  of  same  in  relation  to  necking. 

> . 


t 

If 

<„..       

-5^--— - 

— > 

>K 

> 

i 

1 

, 

< 

^-^^  -aooe" 

*■ 

MACHINE  $TE£L  (Case.Harden) 
FIG.    289.      GAGES  FOR  OPEN  END   OF  SHELL 


Operation  IL — Clean  Threads — The  threads  are  inspected  to  ascertain  that  they 
are  perfectly  clean,  the  operator  caUing  on  inspector  before  screwing  in  the  adapter 
plug.     The  adapter  plug  is  then  screwed  in,  in  the  inspector's  presence,  and  same 

25 


386 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


must  be  screwed  in  so  that  the  head  will  seat  properly  in  the  counterbore. 
vaseline  mixed  with  gasoline  is  used  as  a  lubricant. 


A  Httle 


^ 6  ±0.0005-- > 

cs 

3d 

••* 

H^ 

^ 

r 

< €'±0.0005'—- - > 

MACHINE  STEEL 
(Case  Harden) 

FIG.    290.      LIMIT  GAGE   FOR  OPEN  END   OF  SHELL 

Operation  12. — Facing  to  Weight — The  shell  is  examined  to  see  that  the  face  is 
smooth,  to  see  that  the  radius  of  the  fillet  is  correct,  and  is  also  carefully  weighed  to 
see  that  it  comes  within  the  limits  of  the  weight  requirements. 


.r 


1 


M* 


^R 


MACHINE  STEEL 


^ 


FIG.    291.       GAGES  FOR  ADAPTFR  PLUG 

Operation  13. — Stamp — The  shells  are  carefully  inspected  to  see  that  the  proper 
stamping,  consisting  of  8-in.  Howitzer — 3,  F  &  S,  date  of  completion,  trade-mark, 
heat  number  and  serial  numbers  are  stamped  neatly  and  correctly. 


k%->k-- 


5.415, 
5.460 

FIG.  292. 


8  Th'ds  per 
Inch,  Left  Hand 
nmm>rfh  5W. 


GAGE  FOR  PLUG  THREAD 


TOOL  STEEL 
(Soft) 


Chap.  V]        BRITISH  8-IN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  HOWITZER  SHELLS        387 


Operation  14. — Remove  Adapter  Plug — No  inspection  is  necessary  except  to  be 
sure  that  the  operator  does  not  damage  the  threads  of  either  the  shell  or  adapter 
plug  in  this  operation. 

Operation  15. — Clean  Shell — The  shell  body,  especially  the  interior,  is  gone  over 
carefully  to  see  that  shell  is  perfectly  dry  and  clean. 

rifi^- -T--~-a^--i 


^I' 


■7^ 


-A 


'3.85 


Chanrfkr  corner 
H  for  rivGh'ng 


YSoff^ 


^        CSV 


Hankn 


MACHINE  ST£:EL- 


TOOL  ST5EL(6r!nd)  ^fl74-^l 

FIG.    293.      GAGE   FOR  HEAD  OF  PLUG 


1^- 


Operation  16. — Varnish — Special  attention  is  given  to  this  operation,  as  it  is  im- 
perative that  the  coating  of  the  varnish  is  absolutely  smooth,  free  from  cracks  and 
that  there  is  no  varnish  in  either  of  the  threads.  The  inspection  can  be  well  done  with 
an  electric  light  and  a  mirror. 


\f" e^'Dicrm ->l 


i  '  \CAST/f?Off 

FIG.    294.      MEASURING  THICKNESS  OF  HEAD 


Operation  17. — Turn  Copper  Bands — The  diameter  and  general  shape,  the  width 
and  depth  of  groove,  the  spacing  of  serrations  and  the  shape  of  the  band  are  carefully 
inspected  by  the  use  of  gages  provided.  The  finish  according  to  sample  must  be 
maintained. 


388 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


Preliminary  and  Final  Inspection — The  preliminary  inspection  consists  of  going 
over  each  shell  body  and  adapter  plug  and  ascertaining  that  all  dimensions  and  con- 
ditions are  according  to  the  drawing  and  specifications.  Gages  are  provided  for  this 
operation,  but  a  scale  is  used  in  order  to  enable  the  checking  of  the  weight  of  various 
parts,  so  that  the  weight  will  come  out  right  in  the  end. 


MACHINE  STEEL 
(Case  Harden) 


MACHINE  STEEL 

(Case  Harden) 
» 
■fi- 


Vl.96'tQ00l"--A 


<0.067S 


:..  i 


'Saline    ^ 
^  ■■ 

04f7S    ,S 
CMS  'V 

o.osi\q:427S^   ■ 


34H 


MACHINE  STEEL 
(Case  Harden) 


OmZDeep    ■■■q,45'^00Oi', 
'UVUO 


A  B  ^ 

FIG.    295.      GAGES  FOR  BAND,   OPERATION   18 


The  final  inspection  consists  of  going  over  all  inspection  done  prior  to  this  opera- 
tion and  checking  up  each  item  to  see  that  the  shell  is  according  to  the  accepted 
standards.      The  adapter-plug  fit  is  carefully  tried  on  each  shell. 


CHAPTER  VI 

OPERATIONS  ON  THE  BRITISH  9.2-IN.  MARK  IX  HOWITZER 

SHELL  1 

The  American  Brake  Shoe  and  Foundry  Co.  at  their  plant  in  Erie, 
Pa.,  have  developed  a  system  of  manufacture  for  9.2-in.  high-explosive 
shells  which  not  only  enabled  the  carrying  out  of  their  original  contract 
with  the  British  Government  of  150,000  of  these  powerful  projectiles  in 
record  time,  but  further  secured  for  that  company  new  contracts  aggre- 
gating several  hundred  thousand  more  shells.  The  original  shop  has  a 
capacity  of  some  2,000  shells  per  day  of  24  hours  and  has  proved  so 
efficiently  planned  and  laid  out  that  a  second  shop,  practically  a  dupli- 
cate of  the  first,  has  been  erected  and  similarly  equipped  to  care  for 
the  increased  business. 

Fig.  296  depicts  the  original  shop  and  general  arrangement  of  equip- 
ment, etc.  It  will  be  noted  that  the  shop  is  divided  lengthwise  into  five 
units,  each  one  of  which  is  a  complete  and  individual  shell  producing 
plant  with  duplicate  sets  of  machines,  and  quite  independent  of  the  other 
units.  There  is  absolutely  no  back  tracking.  The  rough  forgings  enter 
at  the  north  end  of  the  shop,  progressing  from  operation  to  operation  in 
virtually  a  straight  line,  and  leave  the  southern  end  of  the  shop  as  com- 
pleted shells  ready  for  final  inspection,  then  for  boxing  and  shipping. 

Extending  down  each  unit  center  aisle  is  a  continuous  table  or  bench 
on  which  the  shells  are  rolled  as  they  progress  through  the  shop  from 
machine  to  machine  for  the  various  operations,  and  upon  which  the 
individual  inspections  following  each  operation  are  performed.  That  is, 
the  work  from  the  various  machines  is  gaged  and  inspected  on  these 
tables  and  rolled  forward  to  the  group  of  machines  for  the  next  operation, 
but  not  until  proved  satisfactory  in  every  particular.  An  overhead 
I-beam  trolley  system  follows  these  inspection  tables  and  any  work 
which  may  not  be  quite  up  to  standard  or  which  would  have  a  tendency 
to  retard  uniform  rate  of  progress  is  lifted  out  of  the  procession  by  a 
block  and  tackle  trolley  and  run  over  to  the  hospital  unit,  the  unit  reserved 
for  the  correction  of  faulty  shells.  This  arrangement  assures  rapid 
progress  of  work  down  four  of  the  five  units  by  avoiding  all  interruptions 
for  correction  of  errors,  etc. 

The  arrangement  of  machines  in  parallel  units  duplicating  one 
another  has  also  the  effect  of  stimulating  output,  for,  consciously  or 

^  Reginald  Trautschold. 

389 


390 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


Chap.  VI]  BRITISH  9.2-IN.  MARK  IX  HOWITZER  SHELL  391 

unconsciously,  similar  work  moving  down  the  shop  in  four  adjacent 
lines  keeps  the  operators  in  each  unit  in  competition  with  their  neighbors 
and  the  results  of  each  line  are  at  once  apparent  by  the  delivery  of  work 
at  the  southern  end  of  the  aisle  tables. 

On  completion  of  the  thirteenth  operation  on  the  shell,  the  finished 
base  plug,  manufactured  in  a  separate  department  located  as  shown 
on  the  plan  of  the  shop.  Fig.  296,  joins  the  procession  to  the  baking  ovens 
at  the  far  southern  end  of  the  shop  so  there  is  no  interruption  to  the 
progressive  system  of  manufacture. 

The  machine  equipment  is  planned  for  the  balance  of  all  units.  That 
is,  the  equipment  of  each  unit  is  such  that  an  average  output  of  about 
400  shells  per  unit  can  be  secured,  the  number  of  machines  installed 
for  each  particular  operation  being  such  that  the  average  hourly  capacity 
production  from  each  unit  group  of  machines  is  between  15  and  18  shells. 
This  gives  about  1,600  shells  for  the  daily  capacity  of  four  of  the  units 
which  is  supplemented  by  the  output  of  the  ''hospital  unit,"  placing 
the  total  capacity  of  the  shop  at  some  2,000  completed  shells  every 
24  hours. 

Charging  each  operation  with  the  time  consumed  in  inserting  the 
work,  in  the  actual  operation,  in  removing  the  completed  w^ork  and  in  the 
required  inspection,  the  production  rate  per  machine  can  be  closely 
approximated,  for  the  high  output  of  the  American  Brake  Shoe  and 
Foundry  Co.  has  only  been  secured  by  keeping  all  machines  busy  for 
24  hours  per  day. 

The  rough  forgings  are  received  on  the  siding  to  the  west  of  the 
machine  shop  and  are  unloaded  bj^  means  of  overhead  traveling  cranes 
equipped  with  electric  magnets.  One  magnet  will  lift  ten  forgings,  a 
load  of  between  1}4  and  2  tons.  These  forgings  pass  through  but  25 
operations,  only  13  of  which  are  really  machining  operations,  before  they 
are  actually  on  their  way  to  the  loading  plant  in  the  form  of  completed 
and  accepted  shells.     The  sequence  of  these  operations  is  as  follows: 

SEQUENCE  OF  OPERATIONS 

L  Drilling  nose. 

2.  Trimming  open  end  of  shell. 

3.  Finishing  inside. 

4.  Reboring  nose-hole. 

5.  Rough  turning. 

6.  Finish  turning. 

7.  Cutting  band  groove. 

8.  Waving  band  groove. 

9.  Pressing  on  copper  band. 

10.  Finishing  base. 

11.  Threading  base. 

12.  Finishing  nose. 


392  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  [Sec.  II 

13.  Turning  copper  band. 

14.  Weighing  and  assembling  base  plug. 

15.  Removing  base  plug,  cleaning  and  washing. 

16.  Weighing. 

17.  Cementing  base  plug  in  shell  and  riveting. 

18.  Facing  base. 

19.  Varnishing. 

20.  Baking  varnish. 

21.  Cleaning,  sizing  and  removing  burrs. 

22.  Company  final  inspection. 

23.  Government  inspection. 

24.  Boxing. 

25.  Shipping. 

Making  the  Shell. — The  shell  shown  in  Figs.  297  and  298  is  made 
from  a  forging  from  29  to  30  in.  in  length,  about  10  in.  in  diameter  with 
a  6-in.  hole  extending  up  from  the  base  to  within  3  in.  of  the  nose  end 
of  the  forging,  the  9-in.  section  toward  the  nose  being  contracted  to 
conform  roughly  to  the  inner  profile  of  the  finished  shell. 

The  first  operation  on  the  shell  forging  consists  in  drilling  a  hole 
through  the  nose  of  the  shell,  an  unusual  initial  step  but  one  adopted 
by  the  American  Brake  Shoe  and  Foundry  Co.  in  view  of  the  fact  that 
their  method  of  procedure  involves  the  complete  inside  finishing  of  the 
shell  before  working  on  its  exterior  and  the  drilled  nose  furnishes  a 
concentric  and  accurately  located  surface  upon  which  to  center  the  forg- 
ing for  the  inside  work.  The  nose  is  drilled  on  vertical  drilling  machines 
in  which  the  work  table  is  of  the  turntable  type  supporting  two  vertical 
arbors  of  the  mushroom  variety  mounted  180  deg.  apart.  The  loca- 
tion of  these  arbors  is  such  that  revolving  the  turntable  brings  first  one 
and  then  the  other  directly  under  the  drill  spindle.  The  rough  forgings 
are  simply  slipped  over  the  arbors,  one  being  drilled  while  the  drilled 
forging  is  removed  from  the  other  arbor  and  a  fresh  forging  mounted  in 
its  place.  A  production  of  more  than  15  forgings  per  hr.  can  thus  be 
maintained  per  machine. 

The  second  operation  consists  in  trimming  off  the  open  end  of  the 
forging,  about  2  in.  of  the  ragged  shell  being  removed.  This  is  done  on 
special  cutting-off  machines  with  hollow  spindles  for  the  accommodation 
of  the  forging,  which  is  centered  on  a  mandrel  slipping  into  the  nose- 
hole  drilled  in  the  first  operation.  An  average  of  10  forgings  can  be 
trimmed  easily  per  machine  per  hr. 

The  machine  used  in  the  next  operation,  which  consists  in  completely 
finishing  the  inside  of  the  shell,  is  the  heavy  boring  machine  built  by  the 
Amalgamated  Corporation,  Chicago,  111.  This  is  one  of  the  machines 
developed  to  meet  the  unprecedented  demand  for  heavy  lathes  for  shell 
work.  The  boring  machine  (see  Fig.  299),  as  well  as  the  turning  machine 
used  for  the  fifth  and  sixth  operations  on  the  shell,  is  of  simple  but  un- 
usual design.     The  headstock,  bed  and  tailstock  are  cast  in  one  piece. 


Chap.  VI] 


BRITISH  9.2-lN.  MARK  IX  HOWITZER  SHELL 


393 


■m-s>S'ff^ 


«S<^k5<5oqu5i$>§ 


tZ6iZl 


k-:™-./ 


ZIP2H 


.eosrvU ■A\^zis-i 

,LBeri\\< -A^ioo'Z 

,ZSiZlW Azifz 


394  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  (Sec.  II 

The  heavy  driving  spindle  has  a  plain  nose,  attachment  faceplate  and  a 
morse  taper  center.  The  boring  machine  carriage  is  67  in.  long  with  a 
travel  of  44  in.  and  carries  a  boring  bar  S^^fe  in.  in  diameter.  The 
drive  is  through  double  back  gears  with  16  to  1  reduction.  The  machine 
is  provided  with  both  hand  and  power  feed  and  thrust  bearings  are  fur- 
nished on  both  the  spindle  and  the  lead  screw. 

The  Amalgamated  heavy-turning  machines  used  foi  the  turning 
operations  on  the  shell  are  similar  in  design  to  the  boring  machines 
manufactured  by  the  same  company  except  that  the  carriage  is  but  40 
in.  long  with  a  travel  of  39  in.  on  the  ways.  This  machine  is  furnished 
with  a  forming  attachment  for  following  the  contour  of  the  shell  and 
is  also  driven  through  dotible  back  gears. 

In  the  operation  in  which  the  inside  of  the  shell  is  finished  in  the 
heavy  Amalgamated  boring  machines,  the  shell  is  centered  on  the  hole 


FIG.  299.   HEAVY  BORING  MACHINE  FOR  SHELLS 

drilled  through  the  nose  and  is  supported  by  a  steadyrest.  The  boring 
bar  is  furnished  with  bits  conforming  in  contour  to  the  inside  finished 
profile  of  the  shell.  This  operation,  including  the  setting-up,  removing 
the  work  and  all  inspections,  etc.  can  be  performed  in  from  30  to  40  min. 
on  the  special  boring  machines. 

As  the  finished  inside  of  the  shell  may  not  be  exactly  concentric  with 
the  hole  drilled  through  the  nose  this  hole  is  rebored  in  the  next  opera- 
tion, the  shell  being  mounted  on  an  expansion  arbor  to  assure  concentric- 
ity.    This  operation  consumes  but  3  or  4  min. 

In  the  next  two  operations,  the  fifth  and  sixth.  Amalgamated  turning 
machines  are  used,  the  shells  being  driven  by  their  bases.  In  the  fifth 
operation,  the  shell  is  roughly  turned  to  form  and  in  the  sixth  operation 
finish  turned.  The  turning  tool,  in  either  operation,  is  clamped  to  the 
tool  slide  of  the  machine  and  is  controlled  by  a  suitable  former  at  the 
rear  of  the  machine.  The  production  rate,  including  the  customary 
inspections,  etc.,  is  about  2  shells  per  hr.  per  machine,  for  either  opera- 
tion.    This  production  is  made  possible  through  the  ruggedness  and 


Chap.  VI]  BRITISH  9.2-IN.  MARK  IX  HOWITZER  SHELL  395 

power  of  the  turning  machine,  it  being  possible  to  take  a  chip  %  in.  wide 
and  J'^  in.  thick  on  a  9.2-in.  shell  at  a  speed  of  but  28  r.p.m.  on  these 
machines. 

The  driving  band  is  formed,  but  not  waved,  in  the  next  operation. 
This  is  a  turret  lathe  task,  four  tools  being  used  to  rough-out  the  groove, 
undercut  the  two  edges  and  finish  the  groove  on  the  sides  adjacent  to 
the  waved  section  which  is  cut  in  the  eighth  operation.  The  scoring 
of  the  band  groove,  the  seventh  operation,  consumes  about  15  min. 

The  shell  with  the  cut  band  score  is  then  transferred  to  another 
lathe  equipped  with  a  waving  attachment  and  waved  ribs  cut  encircling 
the  groove,  sufficient  metal  having  been  left  in  the  previous  operation  to 
permit  the  forming  of  70-deg.  sharp  angled  ribs  protruding  ^qq  in.  from 
the  smooth  bottom  of  the  band  groove.  This  waving  operation  takes 
about  73^  min. 

The  copper  driving  bands  are  next  pressed  on.  These  bands  are 
furnished  in  the  form  of  rings,  10  in.  in  outer  diameter,  approximately 
9  in.  in  inside  diameter  and  2}4  in.  wide,  which  when  heated  to  a  red 
heat  will  just  slip  over  the  open  end  of  the  shell.  Several  squeezes  are 
given  to  the  band  in  the  banding  press  to  assure  uniform  tightness. 
About  4  min.  is  all  that  is  required  to  band  a  shell. 

Banding  before  the  insertion  of  the  base  plug,  as  is  required  in  the 
manufacture  of  this  shell,  tends  to  offset  the  concentricity  of  the  shell 
base  so  that  the  next  operation  consists  in  truing  up  the  base  and  finish- 
ing it  preparatory  to  the  threading  for  the  base  plug.  Four  sub-opera- 
tions are  required:  1st,  reboring;  2d,  counterboring;  3d,  rounding  the 
edge  of  the  base,  cutting  the  radius;  and  4th,  facing  the  base.  This 
ordinarily  takes  about  2  or  3  min. 

The  threading  of  the  base  for  the  insertion  of  the  base  plug  is  done  on 
Lees  Bradner  threading  machines  and  is  of  particular  interest  in  that 
the  shoulder  against  which  the  base  plug  seats  is  squared  up  with  the 
threaded  section  at  the  same  time.  This  is  accomplished  by  mounting 
a  suitable  milling  cutter  upon  the  spindle  with  the  threading  hob  so  that 
the  shoulder  is  lightly  touched  up  and  trued  as  the  last  thread  is  cut. 
This  assures  the  perfect  seating  of  the  base  plug  in  the  fourteenth  opera- 
tion.    The  finishing  of  the  base  takes  but  2  or  3  min. 

In  the  next  operation,  the  nose  is  finished  in  about  15  min.  This 
includes  the  reaming  out  of  the  nose-hole,  the  cutting  of  the  recess  below 
the  threaded  section,  threading  and  counterboring,  as  well  as  the  neces- 
sary gaging  and  inspecting. 

The  turning  of  the  copper  driving  band  completes  the  operations  on 
the  shell  forging  as  an  individual  unit  and  is  performed  in  about  7  min., 
notwithstanding  the  fact  that  five  distinct  sub-operations,  besides  the 
necessary  inspection,  are  entailed.  The  rough  band  is  turned  to  size, 
the  forward  end  tapered,  the  two  square  grooves  cut,  the  back  of  the 


396  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  [Sec.  II 

band  beveled  and  the  serrations  cut  on  the  forward  tapered  section. 
These  are  all  performed  with  one  setting  of  the  machine,  the  various 
tools  being  carried  on  a  multi-station  turret  with  cross  feed. 

At  this  point  in  the  development  of  the  shell,  the  base  plugs  join  the 
procession.  These  are  made  in  a  separate  department  equipped  with 
the  necessary  lathes,  drilling  machines  and  thread  millers.  The  lathe 
work,  including  the  various  turning  operations,  inspections,  etc.,  takes 
about  35  min.  per  base  plug;  the  drilUng  work  about  2  min.  and  the 
threading  about  15  min.  per  base  plug. 

The  shoulder  of  the  base  plug  is  trued  up  with  the  threads  in  a  manner 
similar  to  that  employed  in  squaring  up  the  seat  in  the  shell  forging — i.e. 
mounting  a  milling  cutter  on  the  spindle  with  the  threading  hob  of  the, 
Lees  Bradner  threading  machine,  with  which  the  shoulder  is  touched  up 
on  completion  of  the  thread  milling. 

The  fourteenth  operation  consists  in  weighing  the  shell  and  inserting 
the  base  plug  to  ascertain  the  perfection  of  fit,  seating,  etc.  The  base 
plug  is  then  removed  from  the  shell  and  the  parts  thoroughly  cleaned  and 
washed. 

After  a  careful  weighing  of  both  shell  body  and  base  plug,  the  toler- 
ance from  the  required  weight  of  252  lb.  8  oz.  being  but  plus  1  lb.  4  oz. 
or  minus  2  lb.  8  oz.,  the  base  plug  threads  are  coated  with  Pettmen 
cement  and  the  plug  firmly  screwed  down  into  the  body.  The  base 
plug  is  then  further  secured  by  riveting.  This  completes  the  seventeenth 
operation. 

Facing  the  base  scarred  by  the  riveting  constitutes  the  eighteenth 
operation  and  completes  the  shell  with  the  exception  of  the  varnishing 
and  baking. 

The  varnishing  operation  consists  simply  in  spraying  the  inside  of  the 
shell  with  a  light  uniform  coat  of  varnish  but  requires  considerable  care, 
as  if  carelessly  performed  might  cause  the  rejection  of  an  otherwise 
satisfactory  shell. 

The  baking  of  the  varnish,  the  twentieth  operation,  is  regularly 
performed  in  an  unusual  and  ingenious  manner,  the  gas  oven  and  the 
Burke  electric  oven  shown  at  the  south  end  of  the  shop  being  simply 
reserve  units  which  are  not  usually  used.  The  baking  oven  regularly 
employed  consists  of  a  box-like  receptacle  which  is  inverted  and  sup- 
ported on  standards  on  which  it  can  be  raised  and  lowered  by  means  of 
suitable  tackle,  inside  of  which  are  suspended  a  number  of  vertical 
electric  heating  coils.  These  coils  are  so  located  that  as  the  box  cover  is 
lowered  over  freshly  varnished  shells  placed  between  cleats  on  the  floor 
they  enter  the  nose  of  the  shells  and  bake  the  varnish  from  the  inside 
of  the  shells.  Considerable  experimenting  was  required  to  produce  a 
heater  which  would  emit  heat  at  varying  rate  along  the  coil  so  that  the 
baking  would  be  uniform  the  full  length  of  the  shell  and  not  too  rapid. 


Chap.  VI]  BRITISH  9.2-IN.  MARK  IX  HOWITZER  SHELL  397 

The  heater  coil  being  further  from  the  varnished  sides  toward  the  bottom 
of  the  shell  than  in  the  contracted  nose  section,  more  heat  is  required  low 
down  in  the  shell  than  in  the  upper  sections.  This  is  secured  by  placing 
more  wire  toward  the  lower  end  of  the  heating  coil,  the  number  of  turns 
decreasing  toward  the  top  of  the  heating  coil.  The  amount  of  wire  is 
regulated  not  only  by  the  distance  of  the  heating  from  the  varnished  sides, 
but  is  affected  also  by  the  natural  tendency  of  the  heat  to  rise  and  unduly 
bake  the  varnish  about  the  nose  section.  The  suitable  distribution  of 
wire  has  been  ascertained,  however,  and  the  heating  coils  dry  and  bake 
the  varnish  at  the  uniform  rate  required  to  guard  against  burning  or 
overbaking  in  any  section  during  the  three  hours  during  which  the  shells 
remain  in  the  oven. 

The  gas  oven  and  the  Burke  Electric  Oven  have  both  been  used  to 
bake  many  shells  but  it  has  been  found  that  the  results  are  not  as  satis- 
factory either  from  a  question  of  rapidity  in  production  or  uniformity 
in  baking.  By  the  time  the  heat  in  the  ordinary  types  of  ovens  permeates 
through  the  comparatively  thick  walls  of  the  shells  and  commences 
drying  out  the  varnish,  the  ovens  baking  from  within  the  shells  have 
already  commenced  to  bake  the  varnish. 

From  the  electric  ovens,  the  shells  are  placed  on  the  sheltered  plat- 
form at  the  south  end  of  the  building  and  adjacent  to  the  baking  ovens 
and  are  allowed  to  cool  off  naturally.  When  cool  enough,  the  shells  are 
thoroughly  cleaned,  touched  up  (sized)  and  burrs  removed,  after  which 
they  are  trucked  to  the  neighboring  inspection  shed  and  subjected  to  the 
final  and  exacting  shop  inspection. 

In  the  inspection  shed  and  also  in  the  bond  house  where  the  govern- 
ment inspection  takes  place,  considerable  time  and  much  effort  is  saved 
by  depressed  pits  in  which  the  inspectors  stand.  The  shells  do  not  leave 
the  floor  level  during  inspection.  Raising  the  shells  to  an  inspection 
bench  but  3  ft.  above  the  floor  level  would  entail  the  expenditure  of 
over  13^  million  foot-pounds  of  energy  each  day,  provided  2,000  shells 
are  inspected  during  the  24  hours.  In  addition  to  this  expenditure  of 
force  there  would  be  the  possibility  of  damage  to  the  shells  when  return- 
ing them  to  the  floor  which  is  at  the  level  of  the  freight  car  in  which 
the  shells  are  shipped  to  the  loading  factory. 

During  the  final  shop  inspection  all  previous  inspections  are  dupli- 
cated and  the  shell  thoroughly  examined  for  faults,  omissions  or  possible 
defects  in  workmanship,  besides  being  carefully  weighed  and  tested  in 
every  way,  so  that  the  shells  passing  to  the  government  bond  room  are 
as  near  perfect  as  can  be  realized  in  commercial  production  of  such 
projectiles.  Any  imperfect  shell  which  might  have  slipped  through  the 
previous  inspections  is  returned  to  the  hospital  unit  for  treatment. 

The  government  inspection,  which  follows  the  final  shop  inspection, 
is  presumably  just  as  exacting. 


398  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  [Sec.  II 

After  being  suitably  stamped  by  the  government  inspectors,  the  shells 
are  individually  boxed  in  substantial  metal  bound  wooden  boxes  and 
are  ready  for  shipment.  The  boxes  are  made  up  at  the  plant  to  assure 
an  adequate  supply  at  all  times.  They  are  received  in  knocked-down 
form,  to  minimize  the  carpentry  work  and  also  to  economize  in  freight 
charges. 

During  the  manufacture  of  the  shell,  fifty  or  more  pounds  of  chips 
are  cut  from  each  forging  and  the  daily  disposal  of  these  is  an  important 
consideration.  As  fast  as  the  cars  in  which  the  rough  forgings  are 
received  are  unloaded  by  the  overhead  traveling  cranes  with  their  electric 
magnets  the  same  cranes  are  employed  in  reloading  the  emptied  cars 
with  chips. 


CHAPTER  VII 

OPERATIONS  ON  THE  BRITISH  12-IN.  MARK  IV   HOWITZER 

SHELL  1 

The  operations  entailed  in  the  manufacture  of  12-in.  Mark  IV  high- 
explosive  shells  for  the  British  Government  do  not  differ  to  any  great 
extent  from  those  required  in  making  the  smaller  projectiles,  but  the 
weight  of  the  shell,  close  to  800  lb.,  comphcates  handling  and  necessitates 
the  use  of  heavy  equipment  for  all  main  operations. 

The  shell  shown  in  Fig.  300  is  made  from  a  forging  approximately 
40K  in.  long,  13  in.  in  diameter,  with  a  7-in.  hole  37  in.  deep  extending 
up  from  the  base  end.  In  one  large  plant  where  between  400  and  500 
of  these  shells  are  produced  each  day  the  following  manufacturing 
methods  are  pursued : 

The  first  operation  is  cutting  off  to  38  in.  in  length.  This  is  done  on 
a  special  cutting-off  machine  with  a  hollow  spindle  large  enough  to  take 
the  shell  blank.  The  shell  is  pushed,  nose  end  first,  into  the  spindle. 
The  nose  end  seats  in  and  is  centered  by  the  internal  conical  end  of  the 
spindle.  The  rear  end  is  centered  and  driven  by  four  heavy  setscrews 
spaced  90  deg.  apart  near  the  spindle  end.  Four  similar  setscrews  on 
the  nose  end  of  the  spindle  are  then  tightened  down  on  the  work.  The 
spindle  is  driven  by  a  worm  gear  midway  of  its  length,  between  the  two 
bearings  of  the  spindle.  The  machine  is  provided  with  three  tool  slides. 
One  is  at  the  front  of  the  machine  at  the  nose  end  of  the  spindle.  At 
the  base  end  of  the  spindle  there  are  two  tool  slides,  one  at  the  front  and 
one  at  the  back  of  the  machine. 

The  tools  are  of  high-speed  steel,  about  )4  in.  wide.  One  tool  operates 
on  the  nose  end  of  the  shell,  while  on  the  base  end  two  tools  of  the  same 
size  and  material  operate  on  the  shell  simultaneously  from  the  front 
and  back.  The  front  tool  of  the  two  is  ground  square,  while  the  rear 
tool  has  a  rounded  V-point  to  break  the  chip  for  the  front  tool.  The 
spindle  makes  nearly  20  turns  per  minute,  equal  to  about  65  ft.  cutting 
speed  on  the  work.  The  production  is  one  shell  cut  off  at  both  ends  in 
15  min.  The  cutting  to  length  operation  is  shown  in  diagrammatical 
form  in  Fig.  301. 

The  second  operation — drilling  and  reaming  the  nose  end  of  the  shell 
— is  done  in  a  jig  on  large  radial  drilling  machines. 

The  shells  are  taken  away  from  the  cutting-off  operation  in  National 

^  E.  A.  Suverkrop,  Associate  Editor,  American  Machinist. 

399 


400 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  H 


26£21.y      'SOOZH 
'2IVZH 


Chap.  VII] 


BRITISH  12-IN.  MARK  IV  HOWITZER  SHELL 


401 


Chapman  trucks  specially  constructed  for  the  purpose.  With  these 
trucks  one  man  can  easily  handle  shells  weighing  in  the  neighborhood 
of  800  lb.     An  end  view  of  the  truck,  before  raising  the  shell,  is  shown  in 


1  Round  Nose  Tool 
r>o  break  Chip 


IToolatNose 
£nd.^"m'de 


FIG.    SOL       CUTTING   TO   LENGTH 


Fig.  302.  In  this  illustration  A  is  the  shell  lying  on  the  floor.  The 
angular  wooden  pieces  B  run  the  whole  length  of  the  elevating  part  of 
the  truck  and  are  located  at  such  height  that  when  the  elevating  part  is 


B 


4 

^^^ 

\ 

9 

i 

A 

]% 

:  D 

End  View  of  Truck 


FIG.    302.      SHELL  TRUCK,   DRILL  JIG   AND   LIFTING   CLAMP 


at  its  lowest  position  they  will  clear  the  sides  of  the  shell  below  its  center 
about  as  shown  in  the  illustration.  When  the  elevating  part  is  raised, 
the  shell  rests  on  the  wooden  pieces  B.     The  braces  C  bridge  over  the 


26 


402 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


shell  from  side  to  side  of  the  truck  to  stiffen  it.  The  shells  are  lifted  into 
and  out  of  the  jig  for  the  next  operation  by  a  hoist  and  the  clamp  E, 
Fig.  302. 

At  F,  Fig.  302,  is  shown  the  jig.  Two  of  these  jigs  are  placed  back 
to  back  on  the  base  plate  of  the  radial  so  that  two  laborers  can  then  serve 
both  fixtures.  The  post  G  for  locating  the  work  has  a  conical  head  that 
centers  the  top  end  by  the  conical  bore.  At  the  bottom,  G  is  threaded 
for  the  conical  centering  collar  H,  which  is  run  up  after  the  top  is  located 
on  the  conical  head.  The  part  I,  carrying  the  bushing  J,  pivots  on  K, 
The  index  pin  L  locks  the  part  /  so  that  the  bushing  is  in  line  with  the 
center  of  the  post  G.     When  L  is  removed,  the  part  I  can  be  swung  around 


i 


Centering  Plug  Fitting 
Lathes  using  Chuck 
to  tiold  thie  Work. 
o   Jaws  grip  Inside. 
£^ase  of Stiells    ' 


F" 


To  fit  Spindle  Host 


rVrr^rj-z-fj-ZJ^j'. 


■Rollers . 


Cage  fo  prevent 

rollers  dropping 

...out , 


FIG.    303.      DRIVING   AND   CENTERING  DEVICES  FOR  ROUGH-TURNING 


SO  that  the  work  can  be  inserted  or  removed.  The  strap  clamp  M  holds 
the  shell  from  turning. 

The  nose  of  the  shell  is  first  drilled  1^M2  in.  Then  the  bushing  is 
removed,  and  the  hole  is  reamed  2J^2  in.  The  time  for  drilling  and 
reaming  is  6  min.  per  shell. 

The  third  operation  is  rough-turning  the  outside  of  the  shell  from  base 
to  nose.  This  is  done  on  heavy  engine  lathes  with  a  double-track  former 
and  roller  follower  at  the  back  connecting  with  and  controlling  the  tool 
at  the  front  of  the  machine.  A  plug  with  a  very  slight  taper  is  driven 
into  the  reamed  hole  in  the  nose  of  the  shell.  This  plug  is  provided  with 
a  female  center  to  fit  the  tail  center  of  the  lathe. 

Two  methods  are  used  for  driving  and  centering  the  base  end  of  the 
shell.  A  heavy  three-lobed  cam  with  three  rollers,  as  shown  in  Fig. 
303,  is  entered  in  the  rough-forged  hole  in  the  base  of  the  shell.     With 


Chap.  VII] 


BRITISH  12-IN.  MARK  IV  HOWITZER  SHELL 


403 


this  drive,  the  greater  the  cutting  stress  the  farther  the  rollers  are  driven 
up  the  cam  lobes  and  the  tighter  they  grip  the  shell. 

The  other  method  of  drive  is  by  four-jawed  chucks  provided  with  a 
simple  but  efficient  centering  device.  The  tapered  plug  A,  Fig.  303, 
is  securely  fastened  to  the  face  of  the  chuck.  It  has  four  slots  so  that 
the  jaws  can  enter  it  part  way,  as  shown.  With  the  jaws  removed  from 
the  chuck  this  plug  is  turned  slightly  tapered  to  a  diameter  that  will 
permit  the  base  end  of  the  shell  to  enter  to  about  the  point  B,  Fig.  303. 
When  in  operation  the  tail  spindle  of  the  lathe  is  used  to  force  the  base 
end  of  the  shell  to  a  seat  on  the  centering  plug  A.  The  chuck  jaws  are 
then  tightened  in  the  hole,  and  the  work  is  ready  to  turn.  A  single  cut 
averaging  J^  in.  in  depth  is  taken  on  the  body,  reducing  it  to  12.1  in. 
in  diameter.  Two  cuts  are  required  on  the  nose.  The  speed  is  16  r.p.m., 
and  the  production  is  about  one  shell  in  1  hr.  40  min. 


Steadyrest 


FIG.    304.      BORING  THE   SHELL 


The  fourth  operation  is  boring,  which  is  done  on  heavy  lathes  with  a 
double-track  former  A  at  the  back  to  guide  the  boring  bar  B,  as  shown 
in  Fig.  304.  The  work  is  held  in  a  heavy  pot  chuck,  split  and  hinged 
longitudinally.  The  rear  end  of  this  chuck  screws  on  the  spindle  nose, 
while  the  front  end  runs  in  a  steadyrest.  The  nose  of  the  rough-turned 
shell  is  centered  at  the  back  end  of  the  chuck  by  forcing  it  to  a  seat  in 
the  machined  conical  inner  end  of  the  chuck.  At  the  forward  end  of  the 
chuck,  outside  the  steadyrest  and  easily  accessible,  are  four  equally 
spaced  hollow  setscrews  C,  which  are  used  to  center  and  drive  the  work. 
The  front  end  of  the  chuck  is  bored;  and  the  operator  uses  a  feeler  between 
it  and  the  work  when  tightening  the  setscrews,  to  make  sure  that  the 
work  is  concentric  with  the  chuck. 

The  boring  bar  is  about  4  in.  in  diameter — that  is  to  say,  as  heavy  as 
it  can  be  made  and  still  clear  the  opposite  side  of  the  hole  when  at  the 
small  end  of  the  bore.  The  forward  end  is  tapered  on  the  side  opposite 
the  cutter,  so  that  it  will  clear  the  conical  end  of  the  hole.  For  boring, 
the  speed  is  about  30  r.p.m.     One  to  two  cuts  are  required  to  finish  the 


404 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


inside  to  7J^  in.  in  diameter,  35J^  in.  deep.     The  production  time  is 
about  the  same  as  for  rough-boring — one  shell  in  1  hr.  40  min. 

The  fifth  operation,  facing  and  threading  the  nose  end  of  the  shell 
for  the  socket,  is  done  on  heavy  engine  lathes.  The  work  is  held  in  a, 
pot  chuck  with  the  nose  of  the  shell  projecting  therefrom.  The  carriage 
of  the  lathe  carries  a  square  turret,  as  shown  in  Fig.  305.  The  hole  in 
the  nose  is  supported  on  the  center  held  in  No.  1  station  while  the  set- 
screws  in  the  pot  chuck  are  adjusted.  The  nose  is  then  faced  and  the 
hole  trued  up  with  the  tool  in  No.  2  station.  The  double  cutter  in  No,  3 
station  brings  the  hole  to  tapping  size,  and  the  tap  in  No.  4  station  taps 
the  nose.  The  socket  is  then  smeared  with  Pettman  cement  and  screwed 
in  with  the  aid  of  an  alligator  wrench  with  a  long  piece  of  pipe  for  a 
handle.  After  the  socket  is  screwed  in,  the  tap  is  removed  from  No.  4 
station,  and  the  forming  tool  No.  5  is  secured  in  its  place.  With  this 
the  inner  end  of  the  socket  is  brought  to  the  same  curve  as  the  inside  of 


PIG.    305.      THREADING  NOSE   AND  INSERTING  FUSE  SOCKET 

the  shell  nose.  Owing  to  the  frailty  of  this  slender  tool  there  are  apt 
to  be  chatter  marks  on  the  inside  of  the  shell.  They  are  subsequently 
removed  by  small  emery  wheels  mounted  on  spindles  driven  by  flexible 
shafts.  The  output  on  facing  and  threading  the  nose,  screwing  in  fuse 
sockets  and  form-turning  the  inside  end  of  the  socket  is  about  one  shell 
in  30  min. 

The  sixth  operation  is  threading  the  base  for  the  adapter.  This  work 
is  done  in  an  engine  lathe  equipped  with  a  hexagonal  turret  on  the  car- 
riage, as  shown  in  Fig.  306.  The  work  is  chucked  with  the  nose  end  in 
a  pot  chuck  about  one-half  the  length  of  the  shell.  The  rear  end  of  the 
shell  is  run  in  a  steadyrest.  The  base  end  of  the  shell  is  faced  off  with 
the  tool  in  the  first  station  of  the  turret.  A  similar  tool  is  used  to  rough 
out  the  recess,  which  is  finished  with  the  tool  shown  in  the  third  turret 
station.  Then,  with  the  tool  as  shown,  in  the  fourth  station,  the  clear- 
ance check  is  cut  at  the  extreme  end  of  the  threaded  part.  This  tool  is 
followed  by  the  single-point  threading  tool  in  station  5,  and  the  thread 
is  chased.     Three  cuts  over  the  threaded  part  prepare  it  for  chasing  with 


Chap.  VII] 


BRITISH  12-IN.  MARK  IV  HOWITZER  SHELL 


405 


the  tool  in  the  sixth  station.  This  chasing  tool  is  of  the  ordinary  kind, 
with  three  threads  of  the  Whitworth  form.  The  time  on  this  operation 
is  1  hr.  15  min.  per  shell. 


FIG.  306.   THREADING  THE  BASE  FOR  ADAPTER 

The  seventh  operation,  finish-turning,  shown  in  Fig.  307,  is  done  on 
engine  lathes.  Some  of  them  are  equipped  with  a  single  carriage  that 
operates  the  whole  length  of  the  shell.     Others  are  special  lathes  with 


i  ^^ 


^ 


y 


]cc: 


FIG.    307.      FINISH  TURNING 


two  carriages,  the  tool  in  one  carriage  operating  on  the  nose  at  the  same 
time  that  the  tool  in  the  other  carriage  is  operating  on  the  body  of  the 
shell.     Both  types  of  lathes  are  provided  with  a  double-track  former  at 


406 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


the  back.  The  drive  of  the  shell  is  by  means  of  the  jaw  chuck  and 
centering  cone  used  in  the  rough-turning  operation.  The  nose  of  the 
shell  has  a  threaded  plug  screwed  into  the  fuse  bushing.  The  ratio  of 
production  of  the  one-  and  two-carriage  lathes  is  as  5  to  6.  The  body  of 
the  shell  is  turned  11.960  in.  At  the  base  end,  just  below  the  driving 
band  in  the  finished  shell,  a  check  is  turned  11.855  in.  in  diameter.  The 
average  time  for  this  operation  is  1  hr.  40  min.  per  shell. 

The  eighth  operation  is  to  groove  and  undercut  the  driving-band 
groove  preparatory  to  waving.  No  special  fixture  is  provided  for  this 
work;  a  heavy  engine  lathe  with  turret  tool  post  is  used.  The  base  of 
the  shell  is  held  in  and  driven  by  a  shallow  cup  chuck,  Fig.  308,  with 
four  heavy  setscrews  for  centering  the  base  end  of  the  shell.  The  nose 
of  the  shell  has  a  threaded  plug  with  a  female  center  that  runs  on  the 
tail  center.  The  turret  tool  post  has  a  formed  tool  with  eight  projections 
for  forming  the  grooves  and  two  side  tools  for  undercutting.     The  time 


Eccentric 


® 


FIG.    308.      CUP   CHUCK 


FIG.    309.      WAVING   ATTACHMENT 


for  this  operation  is  about  30  min.  The  grooves  are  11.260  in.  at  the 
bottom  and  11.350  in.  at  the  top. 

The  ninth  operation  is  waving.  The  same  type  of  lathe  and  the  same 
set-up  are  used  as  in  the  previous  operation.  The  wave  tool  is  mounted 
in  a  turret  tool  post.  The  method  of  imparting  the  reciprocating  motion 
to  the  tool  is,  however,  slightly  different  from  those  already  described 
in  connection  with  the  manufacture  of  smaller  shells.  Mounted  on  the 
lead  screw  of  the  lathe  is  an  eccentric  A,  Fig.  309.  The  eccentric  rod 
connects  with  the  bell  crank  B  at  the  point  C.  To  function  with  exact- 
ness the  eccentric  should  be  spherical,  and  the  connection  at  C  should 
be  a  ball  and  socket  joint.  However,  the  mechanism  works  well  without 
these  refinements,  if  the  joints  are  left  slightly  slack.  The  connecting- 
rod  D  transmits  motion  to  the  carriage  E.  The  waving  operation  takes 
about  10  min. 

The  tenth  operation  is  washing.  Various  methods  of  handling  this 
work  are  in  use.  In  one  shop  the  shells  are  dropped  over  a  perforated 
pipe,  a  sheet-metal  cover  is  placed  over  the  shell,  and  hot  water  under 
pressure  is  turned  into  the  perforated  pipe.     This  washes  all  the  loose 


Chap.  VII] 


BRITISH  12.1N.  MARK  IV  HOWITZER  SHELL 


407 


particles  of  steel  and  dirt  from  both  outside  and  inside  the  shell,  which 
is  then  plunged  into  cold  water  so  that  it  can  be  handled. 

A  rotary  washing  machine  that  works  satisfactorily  is  shown  dia- 
grammatically  in  Fig.  310.  At  A  is  a  clamp  used  for  lifting  shells  into 
and  out  of  this  washing  machine.  The  part  C  is  about  160  deg.  in  length. 
In  it  the  part  D  slides.  A  clamp  at  E  secures  D  in  C.  When  at  its 
extreme  outward  position  and  clamped  by  the  lever  E,  the  device  em- 
braces the  shell  body  so  that  it  cannot  fall  out  when  lifted  by  the  eye- 
bolt  F. 

After  being  washed  in  hot  and  cold  water,  the  shells  are  placed  under 
a  cold  blast  of  air  to  dry.     When  dry,  small  defects,  such  as  chatter 


FIG.    310.       WASHING   MACHINE    AND   LIFTING   CLAMP 


marks  are  corrected.  A  flexible  shaft  grinder  is  a  useful  tool  for  this 
work.  Preliminary  inspection  follows  but  need  not  be  detailed  here. 
Having  passed  the  preliminary  inspection,  the  shells  are  varnished. 
This  is  done  with  an  ordinary  hand  spray,  Fig.  311,  with  a  nozzle  long 
enough  to  reach  from  the  base  to  the  nose  of  the  shells,  which  are  laid 
on  their  sides  on  a  bench  of  convenient  height.  One  man  holds  an  electric 
lamp  at  the  nose  end  of  the  shell  while  the  other  man,  at  the  base  end, 
sprays  the  varnish  on  the  inside  of  the  shell.  Varnishing  occupies  about 
2  min.  An  eye-bolt  is  then  screwed  into  the  base,  and  the  shell  is  dropped 
nose  down  into  a  cast-iron  seat  B.  These  seats  are  arranged  in  rows  on 
the  floor.  A  portable  electric  oven,  shown  in  Fig.  311,  is  then  placed 
over  the  top  of  each  shell,  and  the  varnish  is  baked  for  2  hr. 


408 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


The  adapters  for  the  base  are  usually  brush-varnished,  as  they  are 
easy  to  get  at  with  a  brush.  They  are  baked  in  an  electric  oven  built 
for  the  purpose. 


FIG.  311.   VARNISH  SPRAYER,  SEAT  AND  ELECTRIC  HEATER 

Making  the  Adapter  for  the  Shell  Base. — The  first  operation  in  making 
of  the  adapter  from  the  forging  shown  at  A,  Fig.  312,  is  rough-turning  and 


^                                     n/" 

* 
V 

— 

;  IB                 i  iB 

n 

^2 

^,>'                     ^-^-     ! 

A 

< 8" > 

A 
'• 

\—/ 

S      f 

FIG.    312.      THE   ADAPTER 


facing  the  flange.     The  forging  is  gripped  by  the  smaller  diameter  in  a 
four-jaw  chuck  of  an  engine  lathe.     The  flange  is  reduced  to  9%2  in.  in 


Chap.  VIIJ 


BRITISH  12-lN.  MARK  IV  HOWITZER  SHELL 


409 


diameter  and  the  face  of  the  flange  cleaned  up.  A  centering  tool  in  the 
tail  spindle  is  then  run  in,  and  the  operation  is  complete;  elapsed  time, 
15  min. 

The  work  next  goes  to  the  drilling  machine,  where  two  M-in.  holes  B, 
Fig.  312,  are  drilled  %  in.  deep  in  the  flange.  They  are  23^^  in.  from  the 
center  and  180  deg.  apart  on  the  circle.  A  simple  jig  is  used  to  locate 
the  work  from  the  center.  About  5  min.  is  sufficient  time  for  drilling 
the  two  holes.  The  adapter  is  then  located  in  another  jig,  and  both 
ends  are  properly  centered. 

The  adapters  are  rough-turned  between  centers,  as  shown  at  C,  Fig. 
312.  The  driver  D  screws  on  the  spindle  nose  and  has  two  %,-iB..  pins 
2}i  in.  off  center.     These  enter  the  holes  in  the  flange  of  the  adapter 


6' 


3a 


ITT 


&i 


jni 


JTf)--'. 


>e 


3 


FIG.    313.      INSERTING   THE   ADAPTER 

and  drive  it.  The  body  is  reduced  to  7^  in.  in  diameter  and  the  flange 
to  1-in.  thickness;  time,  about  30  min.  each. 

The  adapters  are  then  turned  for  threading,  as  shown  in  Fig.  312. 
They  are  held  between  centers  and  driven  by  pins  precisely  as  in  the 
previous  operation.  The  flange  is  finished  to  8.995  in.,  the  threaded 
part  to  7.696  in.  and  the  pilot  between  7.44  and  7.461  in.  The  recess 
between  the  flange  and  the  thread  is  7.460  in.  in  diameter.  The  time 
for  this  operation  is  about  25  min. 

In  some  plants  it  has  been  found  advisable  to  rough-thread  the 
adapters  in  one  operation  and  then  pass  them  to  another  lathe  for  finish- 
ing. Formed  chasers,  such  as  those  made  by  Pratt  &  Whitney  or  the 
Landis  Machine  Co.,  are  used  for  both  rough  and  fim'shed  threading. 
The  work  is  held  between  centers  and  driven  by  the  pins,  as  in  the  pre- 
vious operations.     Rough-threading  can  be  done  at  the  rate  of  about 


410  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  [Sec.  II 

one  adapter  in  20  min.     Finish-threading  with  practically  the  sanae  equip- 
ment takes  from  12  to  15  min.  per  adapter. 

Fitting  the  Adapter. — Returning  to  the  shell,  the  fourteenth  operation 
is  fitting  the  adapter.  The  shells  are  held  in  heavy  cast-iron  stands,  as 
at  A,  Fig.  313,  which  are  bolted  to  the  floor.  Heavy  pin  wrenches  Bj 
with  pipe  extension  handles  6  ft.  long,  are  used  to  screw  the  adapters  in 
and  out.  A  facing  tool  built  hke  a  valve-seat  facing  tool  is  used  when 
necessary  to  smooth  the  seat  in  the  shell.  Hand  scrapers  are  also  em- 
ployed to  obtain  a  fit  between  the  shell  and  the  adapter.  The  time  for 
fitting  an  adapter  is  about  20  min.  It  is  screwed  tight  into  the  shell 
with  the  pin  wrench  by  two  men,  one  on  the  end  of  each  6-ft.  handle. 
The  base  of  the  shell  and  the  adapter  are  faced  off  in  the  engine  lathe. 

The  shell  is  held  in  and  driven  by  a  pot 
Back  Radius  chuck.  The  outer  end  of  the  shell  just 
above  the  driving-band  groove  is  run  in 
a  steadyrest.  The  time  for  this,  the 
fifteenth  operation,  is  about  20  min. 
^— — I  Applying  and  Compressing  the  Copper 

> — 1 1  Driving    Band. — The    copper    bands    are 

121^6  in.  in  outside  diameter,  11  ^Ke  in. 
o..  in   inside   diameter  and    2^^q   in.   wide. 

FIG.    314.      BAND-TURNING  TOOLS       ^.  .  „,  ......  , 

The  operation  oi  banding  is  similar  to  that 
described  in  connection  with  the  3.3-  and  4.5-in.  high-explosive  shells, 
except  that  the  bands  are  heated  to  a  red  heat.  The  press  has  six  10-in. 
hydraulic  cylinders  working  at  a  pressure  of  3,500  lb.  per  sq.  in.  A 
loose  ring  of  steel  is  located  below  the  dies.  An  eye-bolt  is  screwed  into 
the  fuse  hole  in  the  nose  of  the  shell;  the  shell  is  raised  by  an  air  hoist  and 
located  over  the  dies.  The  hot  band  is  dropped  on  the  loose  steel  ring, 
which  locates  it  to  the  proper  height  in  the  dies.  The  shell  is  then  lowered 
into  the  two  rings  till  its  base  rests  on  the  bottom  of  the  press.  The 
band  is  given  five  squeezes.  A  squad  of  laborers  handle  the  shells  into 
and  out  of  the  banding  department.  Of  the  banding  squad  one  man 
operates  the  air  hoist,  one  tends  the  furnace  and  places  the  bands  in  the 
press,  two  handle  the  shell  and  turn  it  in  the  dies,  and  one  man  operates 
the  controlhng  levers  of  the  hydraulic  press.  The  time  for  banding  is 
about  5  min.  for  the  complete  time  from  floor  to  floor. 

Turning  the  Copper  Band. — Band  turning  is  done  on  a  lathe  without 
back  gear.  The  shell  is  held  in  a  short  cup  chuck,  Fig.  308,  and  has  a 
threaded  plug  in  the  nose.  A  turret  tool  post  is  used  with  four  tools, 
as  shown  in  Fig.  314.  The  band  is  roughed  all  over  with  the  tool  shown 
in  station  1,  the  grooves  are  cut  with  the  gang  tool  in  station  2,  the 
back  taper  is  made  with  the  tool  in  station  3,  and  the  serrations  with 
the  tool  in  station  4.     The  time  on  this  operation  is  about  15  min.     The 


Chap.  VII]  BRITISH  12-IN.  MARK  IV  HOWITZER  SHELL  411 

use  of  separate  tools  for  band  turning  results  in  longer  life  for  the 
various  tools. 

The  shells  are  next  weighed  and  then  go  to  final  inspection,  boxing 
and  shipping.  The  boxes  hold  one  shell  each.  They  are  made  of  1%-in. 
yellow  pine  well  battened  inside  and  out  and  have  steel  box  strapping 
around  the  ends  and  center.  They  are  stenciled:  ''1  12-in.  H.  E.  Mark 
IV  Lot  No.  .  .  .     Net  880  gross  780  lb.     Size  41 X 19X19  in.'^ 


CHAPTER  VIII 
MANUFACTURING  THE  RUSSIAN  1-LB.  HIGH- 
EXPLOSIVE  SHELL! 

The  1-lb.  high-explosive  shell  is  used  on  the  battlefield  in  a  light 
type  of  field  gun  that  is  extensively  employed  to  destroy  machine  guns, 

Sets  check  mus-f-  be  a  Ughi  fif  in  ihe  shell  and 
musi  besef  home  so  as  lo  require  greai  force 

fo  sfarl  oui  again  i^         ^ 


X'Drill  0.10  holes  in  gas  check  only  when 
required  for  driving  purposes 


VOAl"^ 


^1 


■2.046- 


OJOM  K-      It  n 


I 

4-. 


iS<i>  ^   iS>   00 
^S  -^   ^.   S^ 


^e^^<^"^         k .- -^3.66"- 


-  B.IO- 


6as  Check 

FIG.    315. 


Shell 

DETAIL  DKAWING  OF  1-LB.  SHELL 


PURE  COPPEP  SEAMLESS  TUBING 
(To  be  f borough Ig  annealed) 


1.575"- -H     V-^"+0.005"-A 

FIG.    316.       DETAILS   OF   COPPER  BAND 


etc.     These  light  field  pieces  have  a  range  of  over  2  miles  at  15-deg. 
elevation  and  can  be  handled  with  great  facility. 

*  Robert  Mawson,  Associate  Editor,  American  Machinist. 

412 


Chap.  VIII] 


RUSSIAN   1-LB.   HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELL 


413 


In  Fig.  315  is  shown  a  detailed  illustration  of  the  Russian  1-lb.  shell 
and  its  gas  check.  A  detail  of  the  copper  band  as  it  is  received  at  the 
factory  is  shown  in  Fig.  316.  Fig.  317  shows  samples  from  each  opera- 
tion followed,  also  the  elements  used  in  the  manufacture  of  a  shell. 

The  shell  is  made  from  cold-drawn  bar  steel  13^  in.  in  diameter. 
The  tensile  strength  of  the  stock  is  70,000  lb.,  with  an  elongation  of  20 
per  cent,  and  a  reduction  in  area  of  40  per  cent. 

The  chemical  analysis  is  as  follows:  Silicon,  0.03  per  cent.;  manganese, 
0.66  per  cent.;  phosphorus,  0.094  per  cent.;  sulphur,  0.107  per  cent.; 
carbon,  0.17  per  cent. 

The  manufacture  and  loading  of  the  shell  entail  25  main  operations 
on  the  shell  proper  and  5  on  the  gas  check.  These  are  efficiently  per- 
formed in  the  order  given  in  the  table  of  sequence  of  operations,  and  the 
principal  operations  are  graphically  depicted  in  the  descriptive  sketches. 


FIG.   317.      PROGRESSIVE  STAGES  IN  THE   MANUFACTURE   OF  A   1-LB.   SHELL 


Table  of  Sequence  of  Operations  on  Shell  Body 


1. 

First  drill  and  turn  for  steadyrest 

13.  Shellac 

2. 

Second  drill  and  form  outside 

14.  Put  in  gas  check 

3. 

Ream,  face  end  and  chamfer 

15.  Retap 

4. 

Tap 

16.  Clean  out  dirt  from  threads 

5. 

Knurl  and  cut  off 

17.  Inspect 

6. 

Inspect 

18,  Load  shell  with  powder 

7. 

Nose 

19.  Force  primer  in  cartridge  case 

8. 

Inspect 

20.  Fill  cartridge  case  with  nitro-cellulose 

9. 

Compress  on  copper  band 

21.  Insert  percussion  fuse 

10. 

Turn  copper  band 

22.  Insert  shell  in  cartridge  case 

IL 

Inspect 

23.  Inspect 

12. 

Wash 

24.  Grease  steel  part 

25.  Pack 

Table    of   Operations   for   Gas   Check 

A. 

Drill  and  form 

D.  Tap  and  cut  off 

B. 

Ream  and  counterbore 

E.   Face  and  chamfer  end 

C. 

Thread  outside 

414 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


OPERATION    1. 


Ol'EKATIOM 


[operation  3.^ 


€illliliilililHi(l 


11' 


OPERATION   4. 


Chap.  VIII]  RUSSIAN   1-LB.   HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELL 


415 


OPERATIONS   1   TO  5.       MACHINING  BODY 

Machine  Used — 2Y^-m..  Gridley  single-spindle  automatic. 
Production — 12  to  15  per  hr. 

Cutting  Compound  Used — ''Alco,"  made  by  Texas  Fuel  Oil  Co. 
Note — Speed  of  machine  when  turning  and  forming,  180  r.p.m.;  when  tapping, 
80  r.p.m. 


OPERATION  7.      NOSING 

Machine  Used — 16-in.  Reed-Prentice  lathe. 

Production — 70  per  hr. 

Cutting  Compound  Used — "Alco,"  made  by  Texas  Fuel  Oil  Co. 

Note — Speed  of  machine,  450  r.p.m. 


OPERATION    9.       COMPRESSING    ON    COPPER    BAND 

Machine  Used — Zeh  &  Hahnemann  Co.  press. 
Production — 180  per  hr. 


416 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


OPERATION     10.       MACHINING     COPPER    BAND 

Machine  Used — 16-in.  Reed-Prentice  lathe. 

Production — 60  per  hr. 

Note — Speed  of  lathe,  450  r.p.m. 


OPERATION  12.      WASHING 

Machine  Used — Special  washing  machine  and  attachment 
Production — 120  per  hr. 


OPERATION    A. 


Chap.  VIII]  RUSSIAN   1-LB.   HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELL 


417 


OPERATION  B, 


OPERATION   C. 


OPERATION  D. 

OPERATIONS   A   TO   D.       DRILL   AND   FORM,    REAM   COUNTERBORE,    THREAD   OUTSIDE,    TAP 

AND    CUT   OFF    GAS   CHECK 

Machines  Used — Chicago  No.  3  automatic  and  Wood  turret  lathe. 

Production — 20  per  hr. 

Cutting  Compound  Used — "Alco,"  made  by  Texas  Fuel  Oil  Co. 

Note — Speed  of  machine  when  turning,  340  r.p.m.;  when  tapping,  130  r.p.m. 


27 


418 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


OPERATION   E.       FACING    AND    CHAMFERING   END    OF   GAS    CHECK 

Machine  Used — Dalton  lathe. 
Production — 100  per  hr. 

OPERATION   eL       inspection 

Production — 1  man  inspects  150  per  hr. 


operation  13.   SHELLACKING  INSIDE  OF  SHELL 

Production — 1  man  lacquers  and  starts  gas  check  in  shell  at  the  rate  of  120  per  hr. 


Chap.  VIII] 


RUSSIAN   1-LB.   HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELL 


419 


OPERATION     14.      SCREWING     DOWN     GAS     CHECK 

Fixtures  Used — Special  vise  jaws  and  arbor. 
Production — 1  man  120  per  hr. 


OPERATION    15.      TAPPING 

Machine  Used — Harvey-Hubbell  horizontal  tapper. 
Production — 1  man  120  per  hr. 

OPERATION    16.       CLEANING    OUT    DIRT    FROM    THREAD 

Machine  Used — Vertical  drill  with  circular  wire  brush. 
Production — 120  per  hr. 

OPERATION    17.      FINAL    INSPECTION 

Production — 1  man  inspects  600  per  hr. 


420 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


ISec.  II 


OPERATION     18.       LOADING    SHELL    WITH    POWDER 

Machine  Used — Ideal  Manufacturing  Co.'s  measuring  machine  with  scales  and 
weights. 

Production — 1  man  can  load  420  shells  per  hr. 


OPERATION  19.       FORCING  PRIMER  IN  CARTRIDGE  CASE 

Machine  Used — Foot-operated  press. 
Production — 1  man  420  cases  per  hr. 


Chap.  VIII] 


RUSSIAN   1-LB.   HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELL 


421 


OPERATION     20.       FILLING     CARTRIDGE     CASE 

Machine  Used — Scales,  weights,  funnel  and  wooden  pestle. 
Production — 1  man  240  per  hr. 


OPERATION     2L      INSERTING     PERCUSSION     FUSE 

Tools  Used — Wooden  vise  and  special  screw-driver. 
Production — 1  man  300  per  hr. 


422 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


OPERATION  22.      INSERTING   SHELL   IN   CARTRIDGE   CASE 

Machine  Used — Foot-operated  press. 
Production — 500  per  hr. 


OPERATION    23.      INSPECTING   ASSEMBLED    PROJECTILE 

Production — 1  man  500  per  hr. 


OPERATION    24.       GREASING    STEEL    PART    OF    PROJECTILE 

Production — 1  man  500  per  hr. 


Chap.  VIII] 


RUSSIAN   1-LB.   HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELL 


423 


1  1  1   V  1 1    N       5.      PACKING 

Production— 1  man  4  cases  per  hr,  or  240  assembled  projectiles. 


The  first  five  machining  operations  are  performed  on  the  bar  stock 
before  the  shell  blank  is  cut  off,  and  precede  the  first  inspection.  These 
operations  are  all  expeditiously  performed  on  a  Gridley  single-spindle 
automatic.  The  stock  is  fed  against  a  stop,  placed  between  the  fourth 
and  first  stations  on  the  turret  of  the  automatic,  for  length.  The 
turret  is  then  fed  around  to  the  first  station,  the  hole  rough-drilled  and 
the  outer  end  of  the  bar  trued  for  the  roller  steadyrest.  On  the  second 
station  of  the  turret  the  hole  is  second  drilled  and  the  outside  form  turned. 
During  this  operation  the  outer  end  of  the  bar  is  supported  with  the  roller 
steadyrest.  The  turret  is  then  revolved  to  the  third  station  and  the  hole 
reamed  to  size,  the  end  faced  and  chamfered.  In  the  fourth  station  of 
the  turret  the  hole  is  first  tapped  as  the  fifth  operation.  The  recess  for 
the  band  is  then  knurled  and  the  shell  blank  cut  off.  During  these 
operations  the  blank  is  again  supported  with  the  steadyrest.  The  cut- 
ting-off  tool  is  made  with  a  contour  similar  to  the  nose  of  the  shell,  as 
by  so  doing,  the  amount  of  stock  to  be  removed  in  the  next  operation  is 
reduced. 

Details  of  the  tools  used  in  the  Gridley  automatics  are  shown  in  Fig. 
318.  The  gage  used  to  test  the  drill  when  grinding  is  shown  in  Fig. 
319  and  the  gage  for  the  reamer  in  Fig.  320.  The  gages  used  on  the 
automatic  are  illustrated  in  Fig.  321. 

The  shell  blank  is  then  inspected,  using  the  gages,  Fig.  322,  after 
which  the  next  operation  is  nosing.     This  work  is  performed  in  a  Reed- 


424 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


Prentice  lathe.     Details  of  the  tools  used  for  this  operation  are  shown 
in  Fig.  323. 

It  will  be  observed  that  the  forming  tool  is  made  with  the  contour 
machined  the  entire  length.  By  this  procedure  the  only  thing  necessary 
when  the  tool  gets  dull  is  to  grind  the  end  and  raise  the  tool  to  suit.     The 


'f-^/i^— 


grinding  does  not  change  the  contour  of  the  tool,  as  is  obvious  from  the 
design. 

When  nosing,  the  shell  is  held  by  a  drawback  arrangement  operated 
by  hand.     Details  of  this  attachnaent  are  shown  in  Fig.  323. 

The  gage  used  on  the  lathe  by  the  operator,  for  testing  the  length 


Chap.  VIII] 


RUSSIAN   1-LB.   HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELL 


425 


of  the  machined  shell,  is  shown  in  Fig.  324.     The  shell  is  then  inspected 
for  length  and  contour  of  nose.     The  gages  used  for  this  operation  are 


H-4 


^ :::::.^z:^ 

TOOL  STEEL         T ^ 

1  It    TT 


-* 


FIG.    319.      DRILL  GAGE 


-JiR. 


-3l--/ >( 


**^' 


/«••' 


;'    TOOL  STEEL       g 


l-P-32 


FIG.      320.      RFAMER  GAGE 


Orind 


2735' 
2.665 


-.^Score.QOIOpeep        j  I 


l-P-7 


MACHINE  STEEL  r 
(PiKkHardeni   \ 


2      9 

J-Pm- 


FMonRod,         /e"'^' 


0.150 
DRILL  ROD 


Harden 
.pQinf. 


^^0.075  R 
6096  for  Inside  Depth  of  Sh«II 


i 

! 

i 


-H^h- 


hv- 

--ft-- 

■■■•i 

l-P-2 

il.45! 

Grind  iriese  Surfaces--''' 
MACHINE  STEEL  (Pack  Harden) 
Gooje  for  Diame+er  of  Band  Gro6vO 


MACHINE  STEEL 
(Fbck  Harvkn) 


COLD-ROLLEO 
STEEL 

(Pack  Harden) 


«< li--^ 

Ooge  for  Wid+h  of  Band  (Bo^e 


MACHINE  STEEL  (Pack  Harden) 
^ges  for  Fronf  End  of  Shel  I  Body 
FIG.    321.      GAGES   FOR  SCREW  MACfflNE  OPERATIONS 


also  shown  in  Fig.  324.     The  shell  is  then  taken  to  the  press  and  the 
copper  band  compressed  into  place. 

The  copper  bands  are  purchased  in  the  dimensions  given  on  the  detail, 
Fig.  316.     They  are  annealed  in  a  crude-oil  furnace  at  a  temperature  of 


426 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


\S22Z0 


Chap.  VIII] 


RUSSIAN   1-LB.   HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELL 


427 


428 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


1,375  deg.  F.  The  bands  are  passed  in  on  one  side  of  the  furnace  and 
out  on  the  opposite  side,  sHding  down  a  chute  into  a  tank  of  water  to 
complete  the  anneaUng  operation. 


'M- 


• 

r" .J 

3.655"  3.625" 

p 

^^-fj 

vm 

1  8^ 

l-P-l 

!  ^  i 

•  -^  1 

■    ^  1 

/" 

i  ^  i 

<-— /j  — > 

.    ^    V  ^ 

h- 

3 

"... 

i 

' 

3.660"  3.620" 

yinft" 

-5.660''-- 
Surfaces- 
—5.620"-- 

l-P-l 
INSPECTOR 

11 

<r- 

..,.:..... 

t         Y 

:±. 

MACHINE  STEEL 
(Pack  Harden) 


MACHINE  STEEL 
(Pack  Harden) 


COLD-ROLLED  STEEL 
(Pack  Harden) 

FIG.  324.   GAGES  FOR  SHELL  LENGTH  AND  NOSE  CONTOUR 

An  improved  form  of  banding  die  is  fitted  to  the  press  and  is  shown  in 
detail  in  Fig.  325.  The  features  of  this  tool  are  the  inclined  steel  die 
blocks.  These  are  fitted  with  tension  springs  so  that  as  the  upper 
element  of  the  die  is  raised  the  springs  draw  back  the  side  blocks,  allow- 


|<--/f 


p^ 

Filisferheact 
Screws 


in 


1^ 


16   16 

r/afheocf 
Screws 


a 


A-A 


FIG.    325.      DETAILS  OF  BANDING  DIE 


ing  the  shell  to  be  quickly  removed  and  preventing  the  shell  seizing  the 
dies  after  the  copper  band  has  been  compressed. 

The  copper  band  is  next  machined  in  a  lathe.     For  this  operation 
the  shell  is  held  in  a  drawback  collet  operated  in  a  similar  manner  to  the 


Chap.  VIII] 


RUSSIAN   1-LB.   HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELL 


429 


lathe  when  machining  the  nose  and  shown  in  detail  in  Fig.  323.  Details 
of  the  forming  tool  for  the  copper  band  are  shown  in  Fig.  326.  The  nose 
end  of  the  shell  is  supported  in  a  center  operated  by  air.     Details  of  the 


''**o"n 


0.0625^ 


.  ^/ 

r? 

n/f 

§ 

1/    /  ,' 

>s 

^/ 

Y 

< 

t'-/b//s//' 

- 4i'- -> 

I 

h( 

'7r/nd.-\ 

Forming  Tool  for  Copper  Band 

^/ - H 


Tapfor5,No.&-32 
Machine  Screws 


It 


LOW-CARBON 
TOOL  STEEL 


Nose  Cen+er 


'  It 

rJi 

,,ll  "JPl6  ' 

'^ t^^ '---  ,       ■ 

^^  j  (Taper  0.6 per Fooi in  Diam. 

,.-  Bushing 


■A 


Bal^Bearfng  Housing  -for  Nose  Cen+er 

FIG.  326.   FORMING  TOOL  AND  DETAILS  OF  NOSE  CENTER 

nose  center,  the  housing  and  the  device  for  operating  it  by  air  are  also 
shown  in  Fig.  327.  An  assembled  view  of  the  shell  in  position  to  be 
machined  is  shown  in  Fig.  327.  The  gages  for  use  on  the  lathe  are 
shown  in  Fig.  328. 


430 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


Chap.  VIII] 


RUSSIAN   1-LB.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELL 


431 


The  next  operation  is  inspecting  the  band;  the  gages  used  are  shown 
in  Fig.  328. 

A  detail  of  the  washing  tank  is  shown  in  Fig.  329.  A  jet  of  steam 
impinges  the  open  end  of  the  shell  and  as  the  shells  are  brought  against 


MACHINE  STEEL  (Pbick  Harden) 


COLD-ROLLED  STEEL 
(Pack  Harden) 


0W5- 


r^.  -t' 


\A85\- /.485 
^-1487- 
'-*«>  Grind  fhese  Surfaces 
Working  Gage  for  Diame+er  of  Band 


'Grind  fhese  Surfaces 
Band  Con+our  Gage 


MACH/NE  STEEL  (Pack  Harder) 


Grind  fhese  Surfaces 
Inspec+or's  Gage  /for  Diame+er  of  Gage 


^riiiPifch.5PifchDiam.      k— -//^-.>W  S-A 
Riglrt  Hand,  Single  Tliread.     \  I         T 

ViormGearJOOTeefh, 
l5.9IS''Pifch  Diam. 


PIG.    328.      DETAILS  OF  BAND   GAGES 

-4r 


FIG.    329.       DETAIL   OF   THE   SHELL-WASHING   TANK 


the  chute  the  clips  are  pushed  back  and  the  shells  automatically  drop 
down  the  chute.  To  remove  the  grease  the  shells  are  then  washed  in 
soda  water  heated  to  180  deg.  F. 

In  Fig.   330  another  washing  arrangement  is  illustrated.     In  this 
device  the  shell  is  placed  in  the  funnel  and  steam  is  forced  through  the 


432 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


inlet  pipe.  As  the  shell  pushes  down  the  funnel  to  the  position  shown 
the  steam  enters  the  shell  and  cleans  it.  When  the  funnel  is  allowed  to 
raise,  by  action  of  the  spring,  the  steam  and  condensation  passes  under 
the  piston  and  through  the  outlet. 

The  manufacture  of  the  gas  checks  will  be  next  described.  These 
are  made  from  134-in.  cold-rolled  steel  with  an  analysis  similar  to  that 
of  the  steel  used  for  the  bodies.  These  parts  are  being  made  on  both 
Chicago  automatics  and  Wood  turret  lathes. 


\N  r!~'n  t-^    ' 


FIG.    330.       ALTERNATIVE   WASHING    ARRANGEMENT 


Details  of  the  tools  used  on  the  Chicago  automatics  are  illustrated 
in  Figs.  331  and  332.  The  tools  used  on  the  Wood  turret  lathes  are 
described  in  detail  in  Figs.  332  and  333.  The  gages  used  for  testing  the 
gas  checks  on  the  machines  are  shown  in  Fig.  334. 

The  gas  checks  are  then  chamfered  and  faced  in  a  Dalton  lathe. 
The  check  is  held  on  a  threaded  drawback  chuck.  The  tool  carried  in 
the  toolpost  is  then  fed  across  the  revolving  part,  the  outer  edge  faced 
and  the  outer  edge  of  the  threaded  hole  faced. 

At  the  next  operation  the  gas  check  is  inspected,  the  gages  used  for 
this  purpose  being  shown  in  Fig.  335.  The  shells  are  then  covered  with 
shellac  on  the  inside,  using  a  small  brush  for  the  operation.     The  pur- 


Chap.  VIII] 


RUSSIAN    1-LB.   HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELL 


433 


To  cuil.062'0.D.  .  leiTuu  ^   r^^if ■",^i-y'>\  g      , 


Arrangemen+  of  Die  Holder 


7                  L.' 
CARBON  STEEL(Harden)^B'^     Y 

h--./ 

- 

X^     ^N.            ^1             '      ^ 

-' 

A 

(Cjfr^.^, 

■f- 

• 

vZ_^/        i  L_Zl-^ 

-± 

,         ^--■2f >1 

D/e  h  cu-f- 1.068 O.a, ISPiich,  USSi'dLH.  ThH 
Die  io  be  noi  less  ihan  I.OBB'and noi more  fhan  1.067 


BiA 


/^ zk A 

JSPifch,  aS.SiKLeiH-HancI 
KETOS  STEEL 

Tap  for  Fuse  Hole 


PiQ.  331 


-^'L 


-HIGH-SPEED  TOOL  STEEL 

Cu+ofF  Tool 


,0.55  P. 


^ 


sS 


-M 


^  -  U     HIGH-SPEED  TOOL  STEEL 

Pbrm  Tool 

FIG.  332 


U-2 


f    l^'jj'"' ^1  'j^i\ HIGH-CARBON  STEEL 
'^Jt^'^  (Harden  and  Grind) 


Reamer 


DETAILS  OF  TOOLS  AS  USED  ON  TURRET  LATHES 


434 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


pose  of  this  shellac  is  twofold — to  prevent  rust  and  to  obtain  the  best 
possible  coating  of  the  shell  for  the  reception  of  the  powder. 

After  the  operator  has  shellaced  a  shell  he  screws  in  one  of  the  gas 
checks  as  far  as  possible  with  the  fingers.  This  saves  a  motion  on  the 
part  of  the  man  who  performs  the"^next  operation,  which  is  screwing  the 


FIG.    333.       LATHE    TOOL   DETAILS 


gas  check  down  tight.  While  doing  this  work  the  shell  is  held  in  the 
special  vise  jaws,  Fig.  336.  The  vise  jaws  not  only  hold  the  shell,  but 
also  stamp  the  maker's  name  on  the  copper  band. 

The  shell,  where  the  copper  band  has  been  compressed  on,  rests  against 
a  jaw  for  half  of  its  circumference.     The  other  jaw,  carrying  the  stamp- 


Chap.  VIII] 


RUSSIAN   1-LB.   HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELL 


435 


ing  die  is  forced  against  the  band  and  makes  the  impression  on  the  copper 
band  of  the  shell.  Tension  springs  fitted  in  holes  of  the  stationary  jaw 
press  against  the  movable  jaw  and  thus  prevent  any  binding  action. 
This  vise  also  holds  the  shell  while  the  gas  check  is  being  inserted. 

The  next  operation  is  retapping  the  gas  check.  The  machine  set 
up  for  this  work  is  a  Harvey-Hubbell  horizontal  tapper.  The  special 
tap  used  for  this  operation  is  shown  in  Fig.  337. 

The  dirt  is  removed  from  the  threads  with  a  circular  brush  driven  by 
a  drill  press  and  the  shell  is  then  finally  inspected,  using  the  gages,  Figs. 
321,  322,  324,  328,  335  and  338.  The  gage  or  weights.  Fig.  338,  are  used 
for  testing  the  weight  of  the  finished  shell  with  the  gas  check  in  position. 


MACHINE  STEEL  {Pack  Harden) 


^ 4 

-H 

h 

IP- 14 

M<- 

—  r > 

^> 

m^k59^ 

"? 

-^- 

toto 

MB 

L_ 

_v. 

Grind  ihese  Surfaces 
MACHINE  STEEL  (Pack  Marc/en) 
Leng+h  Gage 


MACHINE  STEEL 

(R^ck  Harden) 

Hf'-^-   HfH^H  „  Plug  Gage  fc 

^^75--        ■■■aore  i^Jde  Befor 

6age  for  Thickness  of  Shoulder  Tapping 


FIG.  334 


They  are  used  with  a  pair  of  ordinary  scales  and  the  shell  must 
register  more  than  the  minimum  and  less  than  the  maximum  weight. 

In  Fig.  339  is  shown  the  tray  used  for  conveying  the  gas  checks  to 
different  parts  of  the  machine  shop  as  required.  A  handy  stand,  Fig. 
340,  has  been  fitted  to  the  automatics  to  support  the  tray,  Fig.  341, 
which  holds  the  machined  shell  blanks.  With  this  arrangement  the  oil 
from  the  blanks  drains  into  the  trough  and  through  the  pipe  shown  back 
to  the  automatic. 

The  shell  is  now  ready  for  loading  with  the  high-explosive  black 
powder.  The  amount  of  powder  placed  in  the  shell  is  240  grains  or 
15.552  grams.  The  primer  contains  20  grains  of  powder.  The  cartridge 
case  is  loaded  with  nitro-cellulose  averaging  69  to  85  grains,  according 
to  the  varying  explosive  charges  of  powder  placed  in  the  shell. 


436 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


->\9310\^ 


Chap.  VIII] 


RUSSIAN   1-LB.   HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELL 


437 


A  felt  pad  is  placed  on  top  of  the  nitro-cellulose  in  the  case.  This 
is  done  for  two  reasons — to  prevent  the  gases  from  reaching  the  powder 
in  the  shell  and,  as  the  pad  expands,  to  form  an  airtight  compartment 
so  that  the  gases  formed  when  the  charge  is  fired  will  result  in  the  re- 
quired explosive  effect,  which  averages  in  pressure  from  9  to  10  tons. 


|a^Sp;Sik^       i  ( 


■V- 


stamping  for 
Copper  Band 


FIG.  336 


Taper  iumed(Bcickecloff)^ 
Y'-"*\  iSiraighi  g 


-.^  i^Xr — ~~ 1 

T. 

^        ^  llllllllllillllllllllllllllllllllllllll 

s 

V 34' — ■> 

Resizing  Tap 
FIG.    337 


^i 


B      ; 

>.A^^' 

^^^ 

Sm^^^ 

C'  D' 

^f\4 

Y 

A=  Space  -fo  hold  addi-fional  vneight  if  necessary 
&•  Dri  II  Ji'  if  necessary  lo  iighf<en 
C-g'TapDnll  0-^.13  USSiUThiL. 


FIG.  338 


The  percussion  fuse  is  inserted  by  holding  a  shell  in  a  wooden  vise, 
pressure  being  applied  by  the  operator's  foot  to  hold  the  fuse  firmly. 
The  fuse  is  then  screwed  down  with  a  pin-type  screw-driver  designed 
especially  for  this  purpose  and  acting  on  the  ''Yankee"    principle. 

The  shell  is  then  forced  into  the  cartridge  case  by  a  foot-operated 


438 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


press.  The  cartridge  case  rests  on  its  base,  and  the  moving  element  of 
the  press  is  furnished  with  a  center  to  guide  the  shell  when  it  is  being 
forced  into  position. 

The  shell  is  then  tested  with  the  gage,  Fig.  342.     This  gage  is  used 


Bo-Hom  to  be  ccrcnecfin.  Tray  A>  bk  nailed 

"W 


"o  o  o  o'o  Of  o  o^o! 
"ooo  ooo  ooo*! 
.  60  oo^o  ooooo4 
000    oOo     000— U- 


"*  (b\o    Or.o  o    o  o^oT 

K.     .>j/iU-    l^r'lli  Drain  Holes 


:* 


J  .-Si     ^ 

I.  50,fDiam.  Maple  Pi ns 

,    _    ROUGH  fELLOtt 

j^l'       tiuber- 


FIG.  339 


^— ■'■'■■ - e ->j 


i*--^^ 


as  the  final  check  on  the  machined  and  assembled  projectile.  The 
shell  does  not  fit  tightly  in  the  gage,  but  slides  in  as  it  would  into  the 
barrel  of  the  gun.  However,  should  it  be  found  that  the  inspector  could 
not  slide  the  projectile,  or  that  the  steel  shell  part  did  not  reach  to  the 


Chap.  VIII] 


RUSSIAN   1-LB.   HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELL 


439 


gage  point,  it  would  be  evident  that  some  mistake  had  been  made  when 
manufacturing  the  projectile.  The  weight  of  the  loaded  shell  complete, 
as  shown  at  this  stage,  is  7,400  grains  or  approximately  480  grams. 

After  being  inspected  the  steel  part  of  the  projectile  is  dipped  in 
grease  to  prevent  rust.  A  detail  of  the  tray  used  to  convey  the  shells  to 
various  locations  in  the  departments  as  required  is  shown  in  Fig.  343. 


4 fir- 


H 


Yf 


1  ! 


U- ^?'- >\Q4}^-i329"A  K H' "^ 

PIG.    342,      FINAL  TEST  GAGE   FOR  SHELL  DIAMETERS 


In  Fig.  344  is  shown  a  tray  that  is  being  made  for  loading  the  shells. 
This  device  is  provided  with  a  compartment  in  which  the  powder  is 
placed  and  is  covered  over  with  a  shield.  When  it  is  desired  to  load,  a 
shell  is  placed  in  a  holding  clamp  and  a  small  funnel  put  in  the  open  end. 
The  slide  of  the  fixture  is  then  slid  forward,  which  brings  the  measure  in 
position  so  that  it  is  automatically  filled.     The  slide  and  measure  are 


5rj  ■£■■ 


;®®®®ii®®®^®®' 
;®®®(£^®®(£i@®® 
|®®®®l®®.(°^®®® 

j!®®®(£i^®®l®®® 
;®,®®®®,®®1®®,® 


^fti^a; 


JL- 


iZ* 


r-i 

H 

I     I 

ri 

L_J 
^-^ 
I  I 
til 


Yellow 
Pine 

FIG.  343.   TRANSPORTATION  TRAY  USED  FOR  SHELLS 

then  drawn  back  and  when  the  slide  comes  against  the  stop  on  the  pawl 
the  measure  is  opposite  the  place  cut  out  on  the  tray  body.  The  measure 
may  then  be  pulled  out  and  the  powder  poured  into  the  shell.  It  will  be 
observed  that  when  the  slide  is  back  the  blank  part  of  this  part  covers 
up  the  outlet  on  the  device  thus  preventing  any  waste  of  powder. 

The  next  operation  on  the  shell  is  that  of  packing  for  shipment.     A 


440 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  ]I 


W^kX4^j.--4^^M^    ^ 


<yt-> 


I' 


BRASS 


■z>' 


>l<--5i-->l 


TraL| 
FIG.    344.       LOADING   TRAFS  FOR  SHELLS 


-1 — \ 


gogogogogogo 
gogogogogogo 


-^BV- 


tf-- 

!_i — 


; 22-- 

"25f  rands,  No.  14  Twisted  Galy. 


<    4\ 


SectionA-5 


MaiHrial:  Yellow  Pine 


■23i 


FIG.    345.       DETAILS   OF   SHELL-PACKING   CASE 


Chap.  VIII] 


RUSSIAN   1-LB.   HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELL 


441 


detail  of  the  packing  case  is  shown  in  Fig.  345.  After  the  packing  case 
has  been  filled  with  the  60  projectiles,  and  the  cardboard  cover  placed 
over  them,  the  cover  is  fastened  down  with  wires  and  screws  and  the 
Government  seal  placed  in  a  countersunk  hole  in  the  cover.  The  case 
is  then  ready  for  shipment  for  either  land  or  marine  warfare  as  required. 
After  the  shell  has  been  fired  from  the  gun  the  receiving  end  of  the 
cartridge  case  is  opened  out  or  forced  oversize.  In  Fig.  346  is  shown  a 
device  for  resizing  the  end  of  the  case  and  afterward  forcing  in  the  shell. 


r '^"- - >l 

FIG.  346.   PRESS  FOR  RELOADING  USED  CASES 


The  case  is  placed  in  the  forming  die  and  the  forming  plunger  forced  onto 
the  end  of  the  case  with  the  handwheel  operating  the  screw  shown. 
After  the  plunger  has  been  forced  down,  thus  forming  the  end  of  the  case 
to  size,  the  loading  plunger  is  substituted  for  the  forming  plunger.  In 
a  similar  manner  the  steel  shell  is  then  forced  into  the  cartridge  case, 
using  the  handwheel.  This  attachment  is  useful,  as  it  may  be  taken 
either  to  the  proving  ground  or  to  any  other  place  where  it  may  be  found 
necessary  to  insert  shells  into  cartridge  cases  that  have  already  been 
fired. 


CHAPTER  IX 

MANUFACTURING   RUSSIAN  3-IN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS^ 

The  Russian  3-in.  high-explosive  shell  (see  detail,  Fig.  347)  is  some- 
what simpler  in  design  and  construction  than  the  British  shells,  but  the 
manufacturing  requirements  and  specifications  are  no  less  stringent. 
Notwithstanding  these  exactions,  however,  the  East  Jersey;  Pipe  Cor- 
poration, Paterson,  N.  J.,  set  for  itself  the  task  of  converting  BJ'^-in. 
stock  into  finished  shells — inspected  and  passed  by  the  Russian  officials 
and  ready  for  loading — at  a  rate  of  10,000  every  24  hours,  the  ultimate 
capacity  of  its  shop.     This  record  is  made  possible  through  the  use  of 


2.13'      ^ 

IOThre(idsper}n.  Y^r'iitdo'lX: 
R.H.Wh}f  worth    f^^  ^^ 


-0.02' 


^•\i-hi6' ai4^-W 


0.14 

0.50'  k-  >k- 
i-aoos' 


-0.014' 


FIG.    347.       DETAIL  OF  RUSSIAN   3-IN.    HIGH-EXPLOSIVE   SHELL 


specially  constructed  hydraulic  machines,  an  exceptionally  economic 
system  of  conveyors — -for  the  work  is  only  manually  handled  when  placed 
in  and  taken  out  of  the  various  machines  and  for  the  inspection  after  each 
operation — and  very  efficient  shop  management. 

Shop  and  Equipment. — Fig.  348  shows  the  plan  of  one  end  of  the 
machine  shop  and  the  general  layout  of  machines,  which  as  far  as  possible 
are  grouped  in  pairs  so  that  one  operator  can  attend  to  two  machines. 
The  machines  are  further  located  in  rows  between  which  run  two  lines 
of  gravity  roller  conveyors,  one  line  carrying  the  work  to  the  machines 
and  the  other  from  them  to  the  inspector's  table. 

Previously  to  the  machine  operations  on  the  cut  blanks,  the  stock  is 
cut  to  length  in  another  department  in  which  monorail  electric  hoists 
and  gravity  conveyors  do  all  the  handling  and  from  which  the  blanks 

^  Reginald  Trautschold. 

442 


Chap.  IX] 


RUSSIAN    3-IN.    HIGH-EXPLOSIVE    SHELLS 


443 


are  conveyed  to  the  main  machine  shop  by  a  system  of  gravity  and  chain 
conveyors. 

On  completion  of  the  heavy  machine  operations  the  work  is  taken  by 
a  conveyor  to  the  heat  ^^ ,,,,  ,  ^.^^         loo  High-speed  Eacme 

treatingdepartmentwhere  ^t^po^^      ,^'^.f^:£^J]2J!Bm.un^'^o., 

a  complete  inventory  is 
taken,  after  the  heated 
shells  have  been  quenched. 
Even  this  quenching  is 
done  with  the  aid  of  con- 
veyors, the  shells  passing 
from  the  oil-fired  pots  to 
an  apron  conveyor  which 
carries  them  through  a 
tank  of  quenching  oil. 
After  the  inventory,  the 
shells  are  returned  to  the 
machine  shop,  also  by 
conveyor,  and  passed  be- 
tween the  various  ma- 
chines and  the  inspector's 
table  on  the  completion 
of  each  operation  by 
means  of  a  continuation 
of  the  shop  gravity  roller 
conveyor  system. 

The  one  interruption 
to  the  continuous  travel 
by  conveyor  occurs  just 
before  the  copper  band  is 
pressed  onto  the  shell, 
when  the  assembled  body 
and  nose-piece  passes  to 
the  government  enclosure 
for  a  complete  inspection 
before  the  copper  band 
is  squeezed  into  place. 
Even  here  there  is  really 
little  interruption  to  the 
conveying  system,  for  the 
inspectors'  tables  extend 
practically  the  whole  length  of  the  enclosure  and  the  shells  are  rapidly 
passed  from  inspector  to  inspector,  each  one  of  whom  examines  the 
shell  in  one  specific  detail.     The  shell  bodies  are  then  lacquered  inside 


Pressure-Reducing  Valve 
Set  for  75  Lb.to  45  Lb. and 
used  in  Case  of  Pump  or 
Line  Trouble, 
Compressed  Air  Connection- 

^"^"""o.    Mathews  Gravity      jjfl 
''  Conveyor     Wat^ 

_From  Drills    Gage  | 
Belt  Chip  Conveyor  e'Supply^ 

ELEVATION  OF  STRUCTURE  Llne^ 


2h  City 
Water  Line 


^Tank  42  Diam. 
28' High 
5  Lb. 
~  Air  Cushion 


6  C.I.Shor 


y_|tolty  ] 
ni  Water  Line 


6  Supply  Line 
Beducing  Valve 


ity  Line  75  Lb. 


FIG.  348. 


ELEVATION  OF  PNEUMATIC  TANK 

ARRANGEMENT  OF  HYDRAULIC  MACHINES 


444 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


ISec.  II 


and  returned  to  the  machine  shop,  where  the  shells  resume  their 
conveyor  travel  until  the  final  government  inspection.  They  are  then 
lacquered  on  the  outside,  packed  in  individual  cardboard  containers  and 
loaded  in  box  cars,  also  with  the  aid  of  conveyors. 

The  equipment  of  the  shop  has  been  selected  with  the  sole  object  of 
securing  economy  and  efficiency  in  the  manufacture  of  3-in.  Russian 
shells.  It  is  unique  in  the  hydraulic  machines  employed  for  all  heavy 
cuts  and  for  some  of  the  less  arduous  but  more  exacting  operations. 
These  machines,  two  of  which  are  shown  in  Figs.  349  and  350,  were 
designed  and  built  in  the  shops  of  the  East  Jersey  Pipe  Corporation  and 
to  them  is  due  in  large  part  the  ability  of  that  shop  to  maintain  its  high 
rate  of  production. 

The  drilling  machine,  which  is  also  used  for  facing  by  the  substitu- 
tion of  a  facing  tool  for  the  drill,  is  shown  in  detail  in  Fig.  349.     The  work 


FIG.    349.      EAST   JERSEY   HYDRAULIC   DRILLING   MACHINE 


is  held  rigidly  in  the  movable  carriage  D  by  means  of  a  powerful  eccentric 
clamp,  and  the  drill  or  facing  tool  rotates.  The  clamp  is  manually 
operated  by  the  slightly  eccentric  lever  E  and  the  thrust  of  the  drill  is 
taken  care  of  by  the  large  ball  thrust  bearing  B.  The  machine  which  is 
run  at  140  r.p.m.  is  directly  belt  driven  and  the  pulley  A,  mounted  on 
the  spindle  with  the  large  driving  pulley,  drives  a  small  cutting-lubricant 
pump  (not  shown).  A  copious  supply  of  lubricant  is  required  inasmuch 
as  a  2-in.  drill  is  fed  into  the  hard  shell  blank  at  a  rate  of  2  to  3  inches  per 


Chap.  IX] 


RUSSIAN  3-IN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELL 


445 


min.  The  drill  bit  is  of  high  speed  steel  and  the  drill  bar  has  two  deep 
chip  grooves  and  a  center  hole  through  which  the  cutting-lubricant 
is  forced — see  Fig.  351. 


FIG.    350.      EAST   JERSEY   HYDRAULIC   TURNING   MACHINE 

Water  under  a  pressure  of  60  lb.  per  sq.  in.  enters  the  large  hydraulic 
cylinder  through  the  supply  pipe  H  and  forces  the  carriage  D  and  the 
work  against  the  rotating  drill  by  means  of  the  piston  rod  G.     At  J 


A.  -jgFi/isterHeacf 
Screty 


l^Hoo 


^" Lubricanf  Holes'      1<-/|">J 
FIG.    351.      DETAIL   OF   DRILLING  BAR 


is  a  three-way  cock  which  alternately  admits  water  to  the  rear  of  the 
piston  from  the  supply  pipe  U  and  from  the  rear  of  the  piston  to  the 
discharge  pipe  7.     Another  cock  at  K  admits  water  from  the  supply  pipe 


446  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  [Sec.  II 

to  the  front  of  the  piston  for  withdrawing  the  carriage  and  work.  The 
operation  of  the  cocks  is  automatically  controlled  by  the  weighted 
operating  lever  N.  In  the  horizontal  position  shown,  N  holds  open  the 
connection  from  the  supply  pipe  to  the  rear  of  the  piston  and  also  the 
connection  between  the  front  of  the  cylinder  and  the  discharge  pipe. 
In  a  vertical  position,  that  is  dropped,  N  reverses  the  connections,  open- 
ing the  discharge  from  the  rear  of  the  piston  and  admitting  water  to  the 
front  end  of  the  cylinder.  The  forward  travel  of  the  carriage  necessi- 
tates manual  operation  on  the  part  of  the  machinist.  He  has  to  raise 
the  main  operating  lever  to  the  horizontal  position,  where  it  is  held  in 
position  by  a  latch  finger  (not  shown) .  The  reverse  is  entirely  automatic, 
however,  the  trip  rod  R  coming  in  contact  with  the  trip  finger  and 
dropping  the  weighted  operating  lever. 

The  turning  machine,  shown  in  Fig.  350,  differs  from  the  drilling  and 
facing  machine  in  several  respects.  The  work  rotates  and  the  tool, 
except  for  its  feed,  is  held  stationary.  The  hydraulic  cylinder  is  of  the 
duplex  type.  The  rear  section  furnishes  the  feed  for  the  turning  tool 
through  two  piston  rods,  one  to  the  front  and  the  other  to  the  rear  (see 
F  and  F,  Fig.  350).  The  forward  cylinder  has  one  central  piston  rod  and 
operates  the  tailstock  carriage,  the  hydraulic  pressure  being  exerted  on 
the  piston  during  the  turning  operation.  The  thrust  of  the  cutting  tool 
and  also  of  the  tail  center  are  taken  care  of  by  a  large  ball  thrust  bearing. 
The  operating  mechanism  actuating  the  respective  cocks  to  the  supply 
and  discharge  pipes,  L  and  M  respectively,  is  quite  similar  to  that  of  the 
drilling  machine,  pressure  being  exerted  behind  the  piston  during  the 
turning  operation  and  on  the  opposite  side  when  withdrawing  the  tool 
carriage  and  the  work. 

The  East  Jersey  Turret  Lathe,  used  for  finishing  the  inside  of  the 
shells,  is  another  of  the  special  machines  developed  primarily  for  shell 
work.  It  is  a  motor  driven  machine  equipped  with  a  pneumatic  three- 
jaw  chuck  and  a  six  station  turret. 

A  tapping  machine  with  automatic  reverse,  a  duplex  slot  miller  and 
a  special  band  turning  lathe,  all  built  on  the  same  general  principle  as 
the  East  Jersey  Turret  Lathe,  are  among  the  important  units  in  the 
corporation's  equipment.  These  machines  were  also  designed  and  built 
in  the  shops  of  the  East  Jersey  Pipe  Corporation. 

One  other  institution  which  aids  greatly  the  high  output  of  this 
excellently  equipped  plant,  and  without  which  even  the  efficient  tools 
could  not  maintain  the  standard,  is  the  system  for  keeping  track  of  the 
output  of  the  individual  machines.  Every  machine  in  the  shop  upon 
which  shell  work  is  performed  is  connected  with  a  magnetically  operated 
''Productograph"  in  the  superintendent's  office  (see  Fig.  352)  and  it  is 
part  of  the  duties  of  each  operator  to  record  the  completion  of  each  piece 
worked  on.     This  he  accompHshes  without  loss  of  time  by  simply  throw- 


Chap.  IX] 


RUSSIAN  3-IN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


447 


ing  a  lever  situated  in  a  convenient  position  on  or  near  his  machine.  A 
magnetically  operated  pencil  records,  on  the  ''Productograph"  sheet, 
each  movement  of^the  lever  and  at  the  same  time  the  register  is  advanced 
a  unit.  The  output  of  every  machine  in  the  shop  is  thus  directly  under 
the  eye  of  the  management  and  if  the  production  from  any  machine  falls 
down  for  even  a  few  minutes  it  is  at  once  known  and  the  trouble  dis- 
covered and  remedied.  The  importance  of  the  knowledge  thus  gained 
can  be  appreciated  when  it  is  realized  that,  with  the  exception  of  the 
heat  treatment  and  the  cutting  off  of  the  blanks,  there  is  not  an  opera- 
tion in  the  manufacture  of  the  shells  that  consumes  more  than' two  or 
three  minutes  and  many  of  the  operations  take  but  a  few  seconds. 


FIG.  352.   THE  "pRODUCTOGRAPH" 


The  installation  of  the  "Productograph'^  not  only  speeded  up  pro- 
duction by  at  least  25  per  cent.,  but  reduced  the  number  of  "runners" 
from  15  or  20  men  to  but  two. 

Making  the  Shells. — Thirty-seven  main  operations  are  required  to 
make  a  shell  from  the  bar  stock  received  at  the  shop — 17  on  the  body- 
piece,  10  on  the  nose-piece  and  10  on  the  nose  and  body  pieces  assembled 
as  a  unit.  The  sequence  of  operations,  together  with  brief  data,  is  as 
follows: 


448  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  [Sec.  II 

SEQUENCE  OF  OPERATIONS 

1.  Cutting-ofif  body  blanks. 

2.  Drilling  body  blanks. 

3.  Centering  body  blanks. 

4.  Rough-turning  body. 

5.  Rough-facing  base. 

6.  Heat  treatment. 

7.  Finishing  inside  of  shell. 

8.  Recentering  base. 

9.  Second  rough  body  turning  and  turning  bourlette. 
10.  Finish-turning  body  and  finish-turning  base. 

IL  Finish-facing  base. 

12.  Counterboring  and  recessing  body. 

13.  Grooving  body  for  band. 

14.  Undercutting  band  groove. 

15.  Knurling  band  groove. 

16.  Thread-milling  body. 

17.  Washing  body. 

'  A.  Cutting-ofif  nose-piece  blanks. 

B.  Drilling  and  tapping  nose-piece. 

C.  Rough-forming  nose-piece. 

D.  Squaring  and  beveling  nose-piece. 

E.  Milling  slots  on  nose-piece. 

F.  Drilling  for  screw  in  nose-piece. 

G.  Tapping  for  screw  in  nose-piece. 
H.  Finish-tapping  nose-piece. 

/.  Sizing  and  recessing  base  of  nose-piece. 
/.  Thread-milling  nose-piece. 

18.  Assembling  body  and  nose-piece. 

19.  Rough-turning  profile. 

20.  Finish-turning  profile. 

21.  Beveling  bourlette. 

22.  Grinding  bourlette. 

23.  Forming  gas  check  and  rounding  base. 

24.  Filing  and  polishing. 

25.  Pressing-on  copper  band. 

26.  Turning  copper  band. 

27.  Removing  burr. 

OPERATION    1.       CUTTING-OFF  BODY   BLANKS 

Machine  Used — Racine  power  hack  saw. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — None. 

Production — 12  min.  each. 

Inspection — For  length  (11.250-in.  min.,  11,375-in.  max.). 

Remarks — One  man  operates  9  machines. 

OPERATION   2.       DRILLING  BODY  BLANKS 

Machine  Used — East  Jersey  Hydraulic  Drilling  Machine. 
Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Drilling  bar. 
Production — 5  min.  each. 

Inspection — Diameter  and  depth  of  hole.     Limits;  diameter,  2.120-in.  and  2.140- 
in.;  depth,  9.937-in.  and  10.000-in. 

Remarks — One  man  operates  four  machines. 


Chap.  IX]  RUSSIAN  3-IN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  449 

OPERATION   3.      CENTERING  BODY 

Machine  Used — Drill  press. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Expanding  mandrel,  Sipp  drill. 

Production — 15  sec.  each. 

OPERATION   4.       ROUGH-TURNING   BODY 

Machine  Used — East  Jersey  Hydraulic  Turning  Machine. 
Special  Tools  and.  Fixtures — Fluted  driving  arbor. 
Production — 55  sec.  each. 

Inspection — Diameter  (3.032-in.  min.,  3.062-in.  max.). 

Remarks — }i-in.  feed,  140  r.p.m.;  one  man  operates  2  machines.     Cut  is  made 
with  "Stellite"  without  lubricant. 

OPERATION   5.      ROUGH-FACING  BASE 

Machine  Used — East  Jersey  Hydraulic  Facing  Machine. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Eccentric  clamp,  tool  holder. 

Production — 1  min.  35  sec.  each. 

Inspection — Length. 

Remarks — One  man  operates  2  machines. 

OPERATION    6.       HEAT   TREATMENT 

Machine  Used — East  Jersey  Heating  Pot. 

Temperatures — 1,500  deg.  F.  for  heat,  1,100  deg.  F.  for  draw. 

Duration  of  Treatment — 30  min.  for  heat,  20  min.  for  draw. 

Inspection — Inventory. 

Remarks — One  pot  accommodates  10  shells. 

OPERATION    7.       FINISHING    INSIDE    OF  BODY 

Machine  Used — East  Jersey  Turret  Lathe. 
Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Cutters,  reamers,  etc. 
Production — 4  min.  each. 

Inspection — Diameters   of   hole.     Limits:   main   diam.,    2.230-in.    and  2.250-in.; 
bottom  diam.,  2.130-in.  and  2.150-in. 

OPERATION    8.       RECENTERING   BASE 

Machine  Used — ^Lathe. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Recentering  arbor. 

Production — 20  sec.  each. 

OPERATION   9.       SECOND    ROUGH-TURNING 

Machine  Used — ^Lathe. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Tool  post,  expanding  mandrel. 
Production — 2  min.  30  sec.  each. 

Inspection — Diameters  and  lengths.     Limits:  bourlette,  2.995-in.  and  3.005-in.; 
body^  2.975-in.  and  2.985-in.;  base,  2.958-in.  and  2.965-in. 
Remarks — Two  sub-operations. 

OPERATION    10.       FINISH-TURNING  BODY 

Machine  Used — Whitcomb  Lathe. 
Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Expanding  mandrel. 
Production — 1  min.  40  sec.  each. 

Inspection — Diameters,  limits  for  body,  2.958-in.  and  2.964-in.;  base,  2.945-in 
and  2.950-in. 

Remarks — Two  sub-operations. 

29 


450  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  Sec.  II 

OPERATION    n.      FINISH-FACING  BASE 

Machine  Used — Whitcomb  Lathe. 
Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — None. 
Production — 1  min.  30  sec.  each. 

Inspection — Thickness  of  bottom  and  length  of  body.    Limits:  thickness,  0.520- 
in.  and  0.540-in. ;  length,  10.420-in.  and  10.480-in. 
Remarks — Rejection  for  rough  base. 

OPERATION   12.      COUNTERBORING   AND   RECESSING  BODY 

Machine  Used — Gisholt  Lathe. 
Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Cutting  tools. 
Production — 1  min.  30  sec.  each. 

Inspection — Depth  and  diameter  of  counterbore,  form  and  dimensions  of  recess 
by  limit  gages.    Limits:  depth,  0.510-in.  and  0.520-in.;  diam.  2.357-in.  and  2.378-in. 
Remarks — Rejection  for  rough  shoulder  or  face. 

OPERATION    13.      GROOVING   FOR   DRIVING  BAND 

Machine  Used — Woods  Lathe. 
.  Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — None. 

Production — 27  sec.  each. 

Inspection — ^Location,  width  and  diameter  of  groove.  Limits:  location  from 
base,  1.486-in.  and  1.500-in.;  width,  according  to  limit  gage;  diameter,  2.817-in.  and 
2.823-in. 

OPERATION    14.      UNDERCUTTING  BAND   GROOVE 

Machine  Used — Woods  Lathe. 
Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — None. 
Production — 1  min.  each. 
Inspection — By  special  limit  gages. 
Remarks — Rejection  for  burrs. 

OPERATION    15.      KNURLING  BAND   GROOVE 

Machine  Used — Woods  Lathe. 
Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Knurling  tool. 
Production — 24  sec.  each. 

Inspection — Diameters  adjacent  to  knurled  section.  Limits:  2.815-in.  and 
2.825-in. 

Remarks — Rejection  for  chuck  marks  on  body. 

OPERATION    16.       THREAD-MILLING  BODY 

Machine  Used — ^Lees  Bradner  Threading  Machine. 
Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — High  speed  steel  milling  hob. 
Production — 1  min.  30  sec.  each. 

Inspection — By  thread  plug  gage.     Limits;  2.475-in.  and  2.478-in. 
Remarks — All  shells  to  be  cleaned  by  air  before  gaging.     One  man  operates  2 
machines. 

OPERATION  17.      WASHING  SHELL  BODIES 

Machine  Used — None. 
Equipment — 2  washing  tanks. 

Cleansing  Liquids — Tank  1,  potash  solution.  Tank  2,  solution  of  "oakite"at 
boiling  temperature. 


Chap.  IX]  RUSSIAN  3-lN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  451 

OPERATION    A.      CUTTING-OFF   NOSE-PIECE   BLANKS 

Machine  Used — Racine  power  hack-saw. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — None. 

Production — 9  min.  each. 

Inspection — For  length  (1.625  in.  min.,  1.750  in.  max.). 

Remarks — One  man  operates  9  machines. 

OPERATION    B.      DRILLING   AND   TAPPING   NOSE-PIECE 

Machine  Used — Gisholt  lathe. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Steadyrest,  pilot,  etc. 

Production — 1  min.  45  sec.  each. 

Inspection — Depth  and  diameter  of  base,  depth  and  diameter  of  counterbore,  and 
by  plug  thread  gage.  Limits:  base  depth,  0.445  in.  and  0.465  in.;  base  diam.,  2.487 
in.  and  2.534 in.; bore  depth,  0.220  in.  and  0.255  in.; bore  diam.,  1.280 in.  and  1.285  in. 
Remarks — Rejection  for  rough  counterbore  hole. 

OPERATION  C.       ROUGH-FORMING  NOSE-PIECE 

Machine  Used — Gisholt  lathe. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Tool  holder  and  h.s.s.  forming  tool. 

Production — 28  sec.  each. 

OPERATION  D.      FACING  AND  BEVELING  NOSE-PIECE 

Machine  Used — Gisholt  lathe. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Screw  arbor,  tool  block,  tools. 
Production — 28  sec.  each. 

Inspection — ^Length  of  nose  and  bevel  form  gaging.  Limits:  length,  1.020  in.; 
and  1.060  in. 

Remarks — Rejection  for  rough  shoulder. 

OPERATION  E.       MILLING  SLOTS  ON  NOSE-PIECE 

Machine  Used — East  Jersey  slot  miller. 
Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Milling  cutters. 
Production — 15  sec.  each. 

Inspection — Spacing  and  depth  of  slots.  Limits:  spacing,  1.750 in.  and  1.935-in.; 
depth,  0.650  in.  and  0.600  in. 

OPERATION  F.       DRILLING  FOR  SCREW  IN  NOSE-PIECE 

Machine  Used — Sipp  drill  press. 
Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Holding  jig. 
Production — 13  sec.  each. 

OPERATION  G.       TAPPING  FOR  SCREW  IN  NOSE-PIECE 

Machine  Used — East  Jersey  automatic  tapping  machine. 
Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Holding  fixture,  Errington  tapping  chuck. 
Production — 8  sec.  each. 

Inspection — Thread  plug  gage,  length  of  threaded  hole.     Limits:  diam.,  0.1875- 
in.  and  0.1890-in.;  length  gage  must  show  through  on  inside  thread. 
Remarks — Rejection  for  imperfect  thread. 

OPERATION  H.      FINISH-TAPPING  NOSE-PIECE 

Machine  Used — Drill  press. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Tap  holder,  tap  and  jig. 

Production — 15  sec.  each. 

Inspection — By  thread  plug  gage.     Limits:  diam.,  1.270  in.  and  1.275  in. 

Remarks.     Rejection  for  imperfect  thread. 


452  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  [Sec.  II 

OPERATION  /.       SIZING  AND  RECESSING  NOSE-PIECE 

Machine  Used — ^Lathe. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Tool  block,  cutting  tools. 

Production — 52  sec.  each. 

Inspection — ^Location,  diameter  and  form  of  recess;  diameter  of  base.  Limits: 
loc.  recess,  0.475  in.  and  0.485  in.;  diam.  recess,  2.355  in.  and  2.365  in.;  form  recess 
by  limit  gage,  diam.  base,  2.472  in.  and  2.487  in. 

Remarks — Rejection  for  rough  shoulder. 

OPERATION  J.      THREAD-MILLING  NOSE-PIECE 

Machine  Used — Holden  Morgan  thread  miller. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Special  arbor. 

Production — 1  min.  45  sec.  each. 

Inspection — Ring  thread  gage. 

Remarks — Rejection  for  imperfect  shoulder  and  for  marred  or  imperfect  thread. 

OPERATION   18.       ASSEMBLING  BODY  AND  NOSE-PIECE 

Machine  Used — None. 

SpecialjTools  and  Fixtures — Shell  holder  and  wrench. 

Production — 27  sec.  each. 

OPERATION  19.      ROUGH  PROFILING 

Machine  Used — Gisholt  lathe. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Air  chuck,  tool  block,  profile  tool. 

Production — 25  sec.  each. 

OPERATION  20.       FINISH  PROFILE 

Machine  Used — Oliver  lathe. 

Special  tools  and  Fixtures — Air  chuck,  profile  tool,  etc. 

Production — 1  min.  each. 

Inspection — By  profile  gage. 

OPERATION  21.      BEVELING  BOURLETTE 

Machine  Used — Forming  lathe. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Female  centers,  etc. 

Production — 10  sec.  each. 

OPERATION  22.       GRINDING  BOURLETTE 

Machine  Used — East  Jersey  grinder. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Female  centers,  etc. 

Production — 35  sec.  each. 

OPERATION  23.   FORMING  GROOVE  AND  RADIUS 

Machine  Used — Engine  lathe. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Screw  arbor,  shallow  steadyrest. 

Production — 25  sec.  each. 

OPERATION  24.       FILING  AND  POLISHING 

Machine  Used — Speed  lathe. 
Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — None. 
Production — 45  sec.  each. 

OPERATION  25.      PRESSING  ON  COPPER  BAND 

Machine  Used — Hydraulic  band  press. 
Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — None. 
Production — 12  sec.  each. 


Chap.  IX]  RUSSIAN  3-IN.   HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  453 

OPERATION  26.      TURNING  COPPER  BAND 

Machine  Used — ^East  Jersey  band  turning  lathe. 
Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Tool  post,  roller  stop,  tools. 
Production — 15  sec.  each. 

OPERATION  27.      REMOVING  BURR 

Machine  Used — ^Lathe. 
Special  Tool  Fixtures — None. 
Production — 8  sec.  each. 

The  stock  from  which  the  body  blanks  are  cut  comes  in  bars,  125  in. 
in  length  by  S}4  in.  in  diameter,  has  an  average  carbon  content  of  0.55 
per  cent.;  manganese,  0.70;  phosphorus  0.027;  and  sulphur,  0.035  per 
cent.  Its  tensile  strength,  after  heat  treatment,  is  about  135,000  lb., 
with  95,000  lb.  elastic  hmit. 

These  bars  are  received  at  a  siding  adjacent  to  the  machine  shop, 
are  unloaded  by  an  electric  chain  hoist  in  loads  of  about  five  bars  and 
conveyed  by  a  monorail  to  the  hack-saw  department  where  they  are  cut 
into  11%-in.  lengths.  This  work  is  done  with  Racine  high-speed  power 
hack-saws,  one  operator  attending  to  nine  saws.  A  stop  on 
the  saw-frame  measures  off  the  stock  as  it  is  fed  to  the  saws,  and  as  each 
piece  is  cut  off,  the  operator  re-feeds  the  saw  and  places  the  severed 
piece  on  the  adjacent  roller  conveyor.  This  takes  the  blank  to  the 
inspector  who  records  the  number  and  stamps  each  piece  with  its  heat 
number.  The  blanks  are  then  placed  on  another  gravity  conveyor, 
passed  under  the  railroad  siding  and  by  the  aid  of  an  inclined  chain 
conveyor  are  delivered  to  the  machine  shop  proper  at  an  elevation 
sufficient  to  enable  them  to  reach  the  furthest  of  the  heavy  East  Jersey 
hydraulic  drilUng  machines  over  the  first  section  of  the  shop  gravity 
conveyor  system. 

The  first  operation  in  the  machine  shop  is  that  of  drilling  the  blanks. 
This  work  is  done  on  the  East  Jersey  hydraulic  drilling  machines. 
The  operator  who  cares  for  four  machines — a  setter-up  being  employed 
for  every  eight  machines,  takes  a  blank  from  the  supply  conveyor  and 
simply  inserts  it  in  the  work  holding  clamp  of  the  machine  and  raises 
the  operating  lever.  A  hole  2  in.  in  diameter  and  10  in.  deep  is  drilled, 
the  entire  operation  of  feeding  the  machine,  drilling  and  subsequently 
removing  the  drilled  blank  occupying  about  5  min.  While  the  drill  is 
being  fed  into  the  blank,  the  operator  attends  to  his  other  machine, 
withdrawing  a  drilled  blank  and  inserting  a  fresh  one.  The  drilled  blank 
he  places  on  the  roller  conveyor  bound  for  the  inspection  table,  at  the 
same  time  signalling  the  completion  of  the  work  to  the  "Productograph.'* 

The  work  then  goes  to  vertical  drilling  machines  for  the  third  opera- 
tion, i.e.,  centering.  The  drilled  blank  is  simply  shpped  over  a  vertical 
expansion  mandrel  under  the  drill,  the  drill  brought  down  and  the  blank 
centered. 


454  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  [Sec.  II 

The  next  operation  is  performed  on  an  East  Jersey  Hydraulic  Lathe. 
The  work  is  sHpped  onto  the  fluted  driving  arbor  of  the  machine,  the 
hydrauUcally  operated  tailstock  and  tool  carriage  brought  up  and  a 
roughing  cut  taken  the  full  length  of  the  blank.  The  work,  after  inspec- 
tion, then  goes  to  an  East  Jersey  Hydraulic  of  the  facing  type  for  the 
fifth  operation. 

The  shell  is  placed  in  the  machine,  as  for  the  drilling  operation,  and 
the  base  rough-faced.  This  squares  up  the  base  with  the  rough-turned 
body.  A  small  central  teat  is  left  by  the  cutting  tool  for  subsequent 
recentering. 

After  the  customary  inspection,  the  roughly  turned  shell  bodies  pass 
from  the  machine  shop  to  the  heat  treating  department.  This  depart- 
ment (see  Fig.  353)  contains  a  number  of  oil-fired  East  Jersey  heating 
pots,  accommodating  ten  shells  each.  Two  heat  treatments  of  the  shell 
are  made,  the  heat  and  the  draw.  For  the  former,  the  temperature 
maintained  in  the  pots  is  1,500  deg.  F.  and  the  shells  are  subjected  to 
this  heat  for  30  min.  For  the  draw,  the  temperature  is  1,100  deg.  F. 
and  the  shells  remain  in  the  pots  for  20  min. 

In  the  quenching,  which  constitutes  an  important  part  of  this  heat 
treating  operation,  the  shells  are  slowly  passed  through  the  quenching 
oil  on  an  inclined  apron  conveyor,  the  upper  end  of  which  elevates  the 
shells  some  distance  above  the  ground,  while  the  lower  end  is  below  the 
ground  level  and  passes  between  the  pots.  As  the  shells  emerge  from 
their  subterranean  journey  the  surplus  oil  drains  back  to  the  quenching 
tank.  After  the  quenching,  the  shells  are  drawn  and  a  test  specimen  is 
taken  for  subsequent  test.  A  careful  inventory  is  taken  at  the  same 
time  of  all  treated  shells  as  a  check  on  previous  operations,  etc. 

From  the  heat  treating  department,  the  shells  return  to  the  machine 
shop  for  the  seventh  operation,  that  of  finishing  the  inside.  This  is  done 
on  East  Jersey  Turret  Lathes.  The  work  is  held  in  a  deep  three-jaw 
pneumatic  chuck  and  the  turret  is  fitted  with  five  tools.  The  end  of  the 
shell  is  faced,  the  shell  bored  and  reamed  to  size  and  all  interior  work, 
other  than  counterboring,  recessing  and  threading  the  body  for  the  inser- 
tion of  the  nose-piece,  done  in  this  one  operation,  the  complexity  of 
which  necessitates  careful  inspection. 

To  assure  accuracy  in  future  operations,  the  shell  is  then  recentered. 
For  this  operation,  the  shell  is  placed  on  a  taper  arbor,  in  a  lathe,  the 
tailstock  carrying  a  centering  tool  is  brought  up,  and  a  center  made  in 
the  protruding  teat. 

The  shell  then  goes  to  an  engine  lathe  for  the  ninth  operation,  which 
consists  of  the  second  rough  body  turning  and  the  turning  of  the  bour- 
lette.  For  this  work  the  shell  is  held  on  an  expansion  stub  arbor,  the 
tailstock  brought  up  to  support  the  work  and  the  cut  taken  with  an  ordi- 
nary lathe  tool 


Chap.  IX]  RUSSIAN  3-IN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


455 


I  ^ 


^1!  i.^ 


^1   §5 

;-0 


456  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  [Sec.  II 

The  succeeding  operation  is  performed  on  a  Whitcomb  engine  lathe, 
the  work  being  held  again  on  an  expansion  stub  arbor,  and  consists  in 
finish-turning  the  body  and  finish-turning  the  base.  The  body  cut  is 
commenced  at  the  base  and  ended  at  the  bourlette. 

The  work  is  then  transferred  to  a  Gisholt  Lathe  for  finish-facing  the 
base.  In  this  operation  the  work  is  held  in  a  pneumatic  chuck  with 
inside  stops,  the  cutter  brought  up  and  the  base  finally  finished. 

The  twelfth  machine  operation  consists  in  counterboring  the  shell 
and  cutting  the  recess  below  that  section  to  be  threaded  for  the  accommo- 
dation of  the  nose-piece.  This  is  done  on  a  Gisholt  Lathe,  the  work  being 
held  in  a  deep  jawed  pneumatic  chuck. 

The  three  operations  following  are  done  on  Woods  Lathes,  in  all  of 
which  the  work  is  held  in  pneumatic  chucks.  Operation  13  consists  in 
cutting  the  groove  for  the  copper  band,  operation  14  in  undercutting  the 
band  groove  and  15  in  knurling  the  band  groove.  These  operations  are 
all  simple  but  nevertheless  require  care  in  their  execution. 

The  shell  bodies  are  now  in  shape  to  be  threaded,  preparatory  to 
receiving  the  nose-pieces.  This  operation  is  done  on  a  Lees  Bradner 
Thread  MilHng  Machine,  the  base  of  the  shell  being  held  in  a  deep  collet 
chuck  and  the  nose  mill-threaded  on  the  inside. 

The  shell  is  then  thoroughly  washed,  two  tanks  being  used  for  that 
purpose.  The  first  tank  contains  a  solution  of  potash  for  removing  the 
oil  and  grease  and  the  second  a  solution  of  '^oakite"  which  is  maintained 
at  boiling  temperature.  The  hot  shells  are  then  set  on  a  table  to  dry. 
This  takes  but  a  few  minutes.  After  this  cleansing  process,  the  seven- 
teenth operation,  the  shell  bodies  are  ready  for  the  insertion  of  the  nose- 
piece. 

The  stock  from  which  the  nose-pieces  are  machined  is  similar  to  that 
from  which  the  shell  bodies  are  made,  but  somewhat  smaller  in  diameter, 
i.e.,  2%  in.  The  bars,  which  are  of  sufficient  length  to  furnish  50  nose- 
piece  blanks,  are  cut  by  Racine  power  hack-saws  into  pieces  measuring 
1^  in.  in  length,  nine  saws  being  attended  to  by  one  operator.  These 
saws  are  located  within  the  machine  shop  building,  but  the  operations, 
inspections,  etc.  are  all  similar  to  those  performed  on  the  body  blanks. 

From  the  saws,  the  nose-piece  blanks  are  conveyed  to  turret  lathes 
for  the  first  machine  operation,  which  consists  in  both  drilling  and  rough 
tapping  the  blanks  for  the  detonator.  The  blanks  are  held  in  three- 
jaw  chucks  and  the  work  performed  in  the  usual  manner. 

The  next  operation  on  the  nose-piece  is  performed  on  turret  lathes 
and  consists  in  roughing  out  the  conical  profile.  The  drilled  and  rough- 
tapped  blank  is  held  in  a  three-jaw  universal  air  chuck  and  the  rough 
form  cut  with  a  single  tool. 

In  the  fourth  operation,  the  base  of  the  nose-piece  is  held  against  a 
shoulder  on  a  screw  arbor  and  the  conical  end  is  squared  and  beveled. 


Chap.  IX]  RUSSIAN  3-IN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  457 

An  East  Jersey  Slot  Miller  is  used  for  the  following  operation  on  the 
nose-piece.  This  work,  operation  E,  is  about  the  prettiest  performed 
in  the  shop.  Two  small  end  milHng  cutters  stradle  the  conical  end  of 
the  nose-piece  as  the  tool  carriage  is  brought  up.  These  mills  rotate  in 
opposite  directions  and  feed  toward  one  another  and  simultaneously 
cut  the  two  slots  in  the  rigidly  mounted  nose-piece,  held  by  means  of  a 
pneumatic  clamp. 

The  screw  hole  in  the  nose-piece  is  next  drilled  on  a  drill  press  and 
then  the  hole  is  tapped  out  on  an  East  Jersey  Tapping  Machine. 

The  roughly  tapped  detonator  hdle  is  then  finish-tapped  to  size  and 
the  work,  after  being  gaged  and  inspected,  is  transferred  to  another 
lathe  where  the  thread  shoulder  is  sized  and  recessed — operation  I. 

The  tenth  operation  on  the  nose-piece  is  then  performed  on  a  Holden 
Morgan  Machine.  This  consists  of  thread-milling  the  nose  for  insertion 
in  the  body-piece.  After  being  tested  with  a  ring  thread  gage,  the  nose- 
piece  loses  its  identity  as  an  individual  unit. 

The  next  operation  consists  in  assembling  the  shell-body  and  nose- 
piece,  both  of  which  are  finished  as  far  as  interior  work  is  concerned.  A 
cork  is  inserted  in  the  threaded  detonator  hole  to  guard  against  foreign 
substances  entering  the  shell  during  subsequent  operations.  The  body- 
piece  is  then  held  rigidly  in  a  vise,  or  work  holder,  mounted  on  a  bench 
and  the  nose-piece  firmly  screwed  down  with  a  wrench. 

The  assembled  shell  then  goes  to  a  Gisholt  Lathe  where  the  profile 
of  the  conical  end  is  rough-formed.  In  this  operation,  the  shell  is  held 
in  a  pneumatic  chuck. 

Finish-turning  the  profile  follows,  this  work  being  done  on  an  Oliver 
engine  lathe  with  a  special  forming  tool.  In  this  operation,  a  cutting 
lubricant  is  employed. 

Following  the  finish  profiling  operation,  the  shells  are  taken  to  form- 
ing lathes  on  which  the  chamfer  behind  the  bourlette  is  formed,  the 
twenty-first  operation. 

The  next  step  in  the  evolution  of  the  shell  is  grinding  the  bourlette 
and  is  done  on  East  Jersey  Grinders  in  which  the  shell  is  held  between 
female  centers  by  means  of  pneumatic  pressure. 

The  gas  check  is  then  formed  and  the  edge  of  the  base  rounded.  This 
is  an  engine  lathe  operation  in  which  the  shell  is  driven  by  a  screw 
arbor  inserted  in  the  nose-piece,  the  shell  being  supported  by  a  shallow 
steady  rest. 

The  shell  is  then  filed  and  polished  on  a  speed  lathe  preparatory  to 
the  final  shop  inspection.  This  constitutes  the  thirty-fourth  operation 
performed  in  the  shop,  excluding  the  various  inspections  which  are  not 
considered  as  individual  operations  but  chargeable  to  the  shop  operations. 

The  corks  are  removed  from  the  nose-pieces  and  the  shells  subjected 
to  a  thorough  examination  by  the  shop,  duplicating  every  previous  inspec- 


458 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


tion.  Passing  this  exacting  test,  the  shells  go  to  the  government  enclosure 
and  are  once  more  examined  and  gaged,  inside  and  out,  by  the  Russian 
Government  inspectors.  During  the  government  examination,  the  nose- 
piece  and  shell-body  are  separated  and  on  their  return  to  the  shop  they 
are  blown  out  and  lightly  sprayed  inside  with  lacquer,  before  reassembling. 
The  copper  band  is  then  pressed  on.  The  bands  come  in  the  form 
of  rings  which  just  slide  over  the  base  of  the  shell.  They  are  slid  onto  the 
shell  by  hand  and  fit  tightly  enough  to  remain  in  position  over  the  band 
groove  while  the  shells  are  placed  into  a  hydraulic  band  press — see  Fig. 
354.  These  machines  force  the  band  into  the  groove  under  1,500  lb. 
per  sq.  in.  pressure.      After  one  grip  of  the  press  plungers,  the  pressure 


FIG.    354.      BAND    PRESS 


is  taken  off,  the  shell  revolved  a  few  degrees  and  given  another  squeeze 
to  assure  band  tightness.  The  shell  is  then  slightly  elevated  by  a  foot 
lever  and  the  top  of  the  band  lightly  pressed. 

From  the  banding  machines  the  shells  are  taken  to  East  Jersey  band 
turning  lathes  on  which  three  tools  are  employed;  the  first  one  for  rough- 
turning  the  band,  the  second  for  beveling  the  edges  of  the  band  and  the 
third  for  finishing  the  band  to  the  proper  diameter.  The  shells  are  then 
transferred  to  an  engine  lathe  for  the  final  operation,  which  consists  in 
removing  the  slight  burr  left  by  the  band  turning  lathe.  In  this  last 
operation,  the  shells  are  held  in  female  centers  by  means  of  pneumatic 
pressure. 

After  the  band  has  been  carefully  tested  for  tightness  and  gaged 
by  the  shop  inspector,  the  finished  shell  passes  once  more  to  the  govern- 
ment enclosure  for  its  final  inspection  and  acceptance.  This  examina- 
tion is  not  as  extended  as  the  first  government  inspection,  for  the  shells 
have  already  been  examined,  passed  and  stamped  with  the  first  of  the 
Russian  Government's  marks.  The  bands  are  subj  ected  to  close  scrutiny, 
however,  and  the  shells  weighed  on  the  official  scales.     A  variation  in 


Chap.  IX]  RUSSIAN  3-IN.  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  459 

weight  of  only  an  ounce  or  two  either  way  is  all  that  is  permitted.  Shells 
varying  more  from  the  specified  weight  of  10  lb.  14  or  15  oz.  are  returned 
to  the  shop.  Those  over  weight  go  to  the  shop  hospital  (which  is 
equipped  with  a  complete  set  of  machines  for  making  the  shells)  and 
they  can  usually  be  rectified;  while  those  which  are  too  far  under  weight, 
and  there  are  remarkably  few  such,  have  usually  to  be  scrapped. 

The  accepted  shells  then  have  the  manufacturer's  mark  rolled  on  the 
base  and  are  passed  to  the  shop  inspector  who  examines  them  to  see  that 
they  carry  all  the  required  marks,  the  serial  number,  the  batch  number, 
the  two  Russian  Government  marks,  the  manufacturer's  mark,  etc. 
The  records  are  carefully  entered  in  a  book  by  a  clerk,  the  batch  number, 
etc.  being  called  out  to  him  by  an  assistant  who  wears  a  pair  of  cotton 
gloves  with  which  he  carefully  wipes  each  shell  as  he  inspects  it. 

The  cleaned  shells  are  then  given  a  light  coat  of  lacquer,  after  which 
they  are  slipped  into  cardboard  containers  and  placed  on  the  conveyor 
supplying  the  box  car  loaders.  An  ordinary  box  car,  carefully  loaded 
will  accommodate  about  7,000  shells,  so  that  a  car  or  more  is  loaded  each 
day,  aggregating  between  8  and  10  carloads  of  Russian  3-in.  high-explosive 
shells  that  leave  the  Paterson  works  of  the  East  Jersey  Pipe  Corporation 
each  week. 


CHAPTER  X 
MANUFACTURING  120-MILLIMETER  SERBIAN  SHELLS^ 


The  shop  of  the  Providence  Engineering  Works,  Providence,  R.  L, 
affords  an  example  of  the  way  in  which  a  plant  of  moderate  size  can  be 
transformed  from  heavy  engine  work  to  the  making  of  shrapnel  and 
high- explosive  shells  from  70  to  150  mm.  in  diameter. 

The  shells  are  all  made  from  forgings  and  in  four  diameters — 70,  75, 
120  and  150  mm.  They  are  again  divided  into  shrapnel  and  high-ex- 
plosive shells,  while  the  120-  and  150-mm.  sizes  are  also  made  in  two 
lengths.  All  of  this  goes  to  make  the  manufacturing  problem  more 
difficult,  but  adds  interest  to  the  final  solution. 


Band  Di am.  ^ 

4.808''i0.005'         J^^H'^-^'' 

'^y//////:///////,////yyyyyyyy/yyyyy^^^ 


>  A  toofs"    (Assembled  Shel ') 

i 


C57a>.  0.S8 

mi 


L 


I42l'±0.004 


\<-0.S9 

i.en'mi 


^y^- mzi  — 


0.312 
■■5mm.Th'ds.R.H.    J 


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.■IM±O.OOZ 


(Uenooi 


l.8S25„\. 


■m2imo4 


-5.2B' 


^  11.496  ±0.020- 


Turnecf^o 
■/i?/6'^':^C?(7J5"'--"  "'-••"— •-'>i^^^<'^"^'^^  9.4S0"±0.0l0"Rcfdi(j$. 

Body  Ogfiye 

355.       SERBIAN  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE    120-MM.    SHORT  SHELL 


0.157 


Poin+ 


Taking  the  120- mm.  short  high-explosive  shell  as  the  subject,  the 
manufacturing  operations  will  be  followed  through,  and  the  methods 
used  on  the  other  sizes  will  be  shown.  Fig.  355  gives  a  general  view  of 
the  complete  shell,  with  the  protecting  point  screwed  in  place. 

Thirty-four  main  operations  are  performed  on  the  shells  before  they 
leave  the  manufacturer's  plant,  including  two  exhaustive  inspections 
on  the  part  of  the  Serbian  officials  and  the  boxing  of  the  shell  for  shipment 
— 25  on  the  shell  body  as  a  unit  or  with  the  ogive  in  place,  5  on  the  ogive 
and  4  in  the  manufacture  of  the  point.  The  sequence  of  these  opera- 
tions, together  with  brief  tabulated  data  for  the  individual  tasks, 
follow : 

1  Fred  H.  Colvin,  Associate  Editor,  American  Machinist. 

460 


Chap.  X]    MANUFACTURING  120-MILLIMETER  SERBIAN  SHELLS       461 


SEQUENCE  OF  OPERATIONS 

1.  Cutting-oflf  end  of  shell  forging. 

2.  Centering  base. 

3.  Facing  base. 

4.  Rough-turning  shell. 

5.  Boring  shell. 

6.  Threading  nose  of  shell. 

7.  Grooving  and  knurling  for  copper  band. 

8.  Finish-turning  shell. 

9.  Finish-facing  base. 

10.  Marking  base. 

11.  Washing  shell  body. 

12.  First  government  inspection. 

A.  Drilling  ogive. 

B.  Forming  and  threading  ogive. 

C.  Boring  and  reaming  ogive. 
Z).  Threading  ogive  nose. 

E.  Rough-turning  ogive. 

13.  Screwing-in  ogive. 

14.  Finish-turning  ogive  and  shell. 

15.  Pressing  on  copper  band. 

16.  Turning  copper  band. 

17.  Washing  shell. 

18.  Final  shop  and  government  inspections. 

19.  Cleaning  completed  shells. 

20.  Varnishing  shells. 

21.  Baking  varnish. 

22.  Painting  shells. 

23.  Drying  shells. 

A'.  Forming  and  threading  point. 

B' .  Milling  key  slots  on  point. 

C .  Shaving  point. 

D' .  Re  threading  point. 

24.  Screwing-in  point. 

25.  Packing. 


OPERATION    1.        CUTTING    OFF   END  OPERATION    2.       CENTERING  BASE 

Machine  Used — Espen-Lucas.  Machine  Used — Snyder  24-in.  vertical 

Special  Fixtures  and  Tools — Milling  drilling  machine, 
cutter  face  back  end.  Special  Fixtures — Swinging  drill  jig. 

Gages — Special  depth  gages  on  ma-  Gages — None;    use    stop   on   center 

chine.  drill. 

Production — 10  per  hr.  Production — 50  per  hr. 


462 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


Applying  the  6ages 


OPERATION  3.      FACING  BASE 

Machines  Used — Blaisdell  and  LeBlond  21-in.  lathes. 
Special  Fixtures — Driving  mandrel,  multiple  tool  block. 
Gages — Flat  former  A,  length;  B,  form  of  bevel. 
Production — 2]4  to  4  per  hr.,  depending  on  lathe. 


Chap.  X]    MANUFACTURING  120-MILLIMETER  SERBIAN  SHELLS       463 


11111111111111111111'  I  j-Tl 


Snap  Gage 


OPERATION   4.      ROUGH   TURN 

Machine  Used — ^LeBlond  21-in.  lathe. 

Special  Fixture — Same  driving  mandrel  as  operation  3. 

Gages — A,  diameter. 

Production — 4  per  hr.  first  cut,  8  per  hr.  for  second  cut. 


OPERATION    5.      BORING   SHELL 

Machine  Used — ^LeBlond  21-in.  turret  lathe. 
Special  Fixtures — Stops,  position  index — special  chuck. 

Gages — A,  bore  for  thread;  B,  form  of  bore;  C,  thickness  of  bottom;  D,  width  of 
tongue;  E,  length  of  tongue;  F,  recess  for  thread. 
Production — 40  min.  each. 


464 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


Plug  Gage 


OPERATION    6.       THREADING   NOSE    OF    SHELL 

Machines  Used — Automatic  threading  lathe  and  Lees-Bradner  hobber. 
Special  Fixture — Roller  rest;  one  tool  only  in  lathe. 
Gage — Threaded  plug. 
Production — 8  per  hr. 


B  C 

OPERATION   7.       GROOVING   AND    KNURLING 

Machine  Used — ^LeBlond  21-in.  lathe. 

Special  Fixtures — Stops  for  carriage  in  undercutting  driving  plug. 
Gages — A,  location  of  groove;  B,  width  of  groove;  C,  diameter  of  groove. 
Production — 5  to  6  per  hr. 


Chap.  X]    MANUFACTURING  120-MILLIMETER  SERBIAN  SHELLS       465 


OPERATION    8.       FINISH    TURNING 

Machine  Used — Prentice  geared  head  lathe. 

Special  Fixtures — Driving  plug  and  multiple  tool  block. 

Gages — A,  diameter,  one  for  size,  one  for  relief;  B,  length  of  relief  from  groove. 

Production — 14  min.  each. 


OPERATION   9.      FINISH  BASE 


Machine  Used — ^LeBlond  21-in.  lathe. 
Special  Fixture — Flap  jaw  chuck. 
Gages — A,  thickness  of  bottom;  B,  length. 
Production — 11  min.  each. 
30 


466 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


OPERATION    10.      MARKING  BASE 


Machine  Used — Noble  &  Westbrook. 
Special  Fixture — Roll  stamp. 
Gage — None. 
Production — 50  per  hr. 


OPERATION   11. 

Machine  Used — None. 
Equipment — Soda  tank. 


WASHING   SHELL  BODY 


OPERATION    12.      FIRST   GOVERNMENT  INSPECTION 

Machine  Used — None. 

Equipment — Inspection  bench,  full  set  of  gages,  etc. 


OPERATION   A.      OGIVE — DRILLING 


Machine  Used — Barnes  gang  drilling  machine. 
Special  Fixtures — Holding  chucks. 
Gage — None. 
Production — 5  per  hr. 


Chap.  X]    MANUFACTURING  120-MILLIMETER  SERBIAN  SHELLS       467 


Infernal  Sfd  Thread 


■  Bore  chuck 
■^ — ■      io  admii 

forging  \ 


Bore, 
furn  and 
face 

Finish-f-urnj  ^^^ 
face  and\j^\, 
recess      ^i^: 


OPERATION  B.       OGIVE — FORM   INSIDE    AND   THREADS 

Machine  Used — Jones  &  Lamson. 

Special  Fixtures — Chuck  jaws. 

Gages — A,  thread  diameter;  B,  recess  for  thread;  C,  length  of  thread;  D,  depth 
of  bore;  E,  form  of  bore;  F,  diameter  of  annular  groove;  G,  depth  of  annular  groove; 
H,  operation  gage  for  groove. 

Production — 1)4,  to  2  per  hr. 


Recess,  face 
and  chamfer 


F/nish- 
\bore 
"i,         ;  thread 
diameter 


z  Tap,/ 8  deep 
Drill  from^         / 
plate,5  screwsh' 

Bore^-^ 


A\  ,.''  Turn  radius. 


OPERATION   C.      OGIVE — ^BORE    AND   REAM   NOSE 

Machine  Used — Jones  &  Lamson. 
Special  Fixture — Holding  ring  on  chuck. 

Gages — A,  length;  B,  diameter  of  hole;  C,  hole  for  thread;  D,  diameter  of  recess 
below  thread. 

Production — 8  to  10  per  hr. 


468 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


OPERATION   D.      OGIVE — THREADING   NOSE 


Machine  Used — 21-in.  lathe. 
Special  Fixture — Hobbing  head. 
Gage — Plug  thread  gage. 
Production — 9  per  hr. 


OPERATION  E.      OGIVE — ROUGH   TURN   OUTSIDE 


Machine  Used — ^LeBlond  21-in.  lathe. 
Special  Fixtures — Form  on  taper  slide,  chuck. 
Gage — None. 
Production — 15  per  hr. 


OPERATION    13.      SCREWING   IN   OGIVE 


Machine  Used — None. 

Special  Fixtures — Vise  and  screw  plug. 

Gage — None. 

Production — 30  per  hr. 


Chap.  X]    MANUFACTURING  120-MILLIMETER  SERBIAN  SHELLS       469 


IliiUiliniiiiiiiii',...      •  ilii     ill 

l#i"'/7"  '/  wvi'trnhn. 


Form  Gage 

OPERATION    14.       FINISH-TURN    OGIVE    AND    SHELL 

Machines  Used — Hendey  and  LeBlond  21-in.  lathes. 
Special  Fixtures — Chuck  and  formers. 
Gage — Form  of  nose. 
Production — 2  to  2^^  per  hr. 


OPERATION    15.       PRESSING-ON   COPPER  BAND 

Machine  Used — West  tire-setter. 
Pressure — 1,500  lb.  per  sq.  in. 
Production — 30  per  hr. 


Ritng  6age 


1-W/T 


^^^^^ 


A  B 

OPERATION    16.      TURN   HAND 

Machine  Used — ^LeBlond  21-in.  lathe. 

Special  Fixtures — Chuck;  tool  post. 

Gages — A,  width  of  band;  B,  distance  from  end  of  shell. 

Production — 20  per  hr. 


470 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 

OPERATION    17.      WASHING   SHELL 


[Sec.  II 


Equipment — Tank  and  air  jet. 

Cleansing  Liquid — Solution  of  heated  soda. 

Production — 50  per  hr. 


operation    18.      FINAL   SHOP   AND    GOVERNMENT   INSPECTIONS 

Equipment — Inspection  benches,  gages,  etc. 

OPERATION    19.       FINISH   WASHING 

Equipment — Special  compartment  tank,  washing  pipes,  etc. 
Cleansing  Liquids — Hot  solution  of  soda,  hot  water. 

OPERATION    20.      VARNISHING 

Equipment — ^Inside  varnishing  machine,  Fig.  378.     De  Vilbiss  painting  machine 
for  outside  varnishing. 

Production — Inside  varnishing,  120  per  hr.     Outside  varnishing,  120  per  hr. 


L    C 


Thread  Diameter 


Oo^ 


^        ^ 

^ — o 

D 

EX 

~^\ 

Yi 


( 

-\ 

feX   ^ 

— r 

K^ 

X.. 

1 

E 

'T 

^ 

,/" 

-^> 

»■( 

rnY 

\\ 

/ 

,^ 

fVi    \ 

^^C:>V 

1 

V 

tVi 

x_ 

V^ 

V 

^J 

Ou+side  Diame+er 
H 

OPERATION   a'.      points — FORM   AND   THREAD 

Machine  Used — Gridley  4J-^-in.  automatic. 

Special  Fixture — None. 

Gages — A,  total  depth  of  hole;  B,  depth  of  straight  hole;  C,  thread  diameter; 
D,  adjustable  ring  gage  sealed  over  screws;  E,  total  length;  F,  form  of  head;  G,  form 
of  inside;  H,  diameter  of  outside. 

Production — 5  per  hr. 


Chap.  X]    MANUFACTURING  120-MILLIMETER  SERBIAN  SHELLS        471 


'>'^  0.158 


Mill  Spindle 


OPERATION  b'.      points — MILL   KEY   SLOT 


Machine  Used — Hand  miller. 

Special  Fixture — Split  chuck. 

Gages — A,  center  distance  of  slots;  B,  thickness  of  metal  below  slot. 

Production — 25  per  hr. 


OPERATION   C  .      POINT — SHAVE 


Machine  Used — Bardons  &  Olive  hand  screw  machine. 
Special  Fixture — Split  chuck. 
Gage — Form  of  head. 
Production — 20  per  hr. 


OPERATION    d'.       point RETHREAD 

Machine  Used — Vertical  drilling  machine. 
Special  Fixtures — Prong  die  and  chuck. 
Gage — Adjustable  ring  thread  gage. 
Production — 22  per  hr. 

The  rough  forgings  weigh  about  55  lb.  and  are  approximately  5J^ 
in.  in  outside  diameter,  33^  in.  in  the  bore  and  probably  average  14)^ 
in.  long.  The  first  operation  is  cutting  off  the  open  end  to  length  on  the 
Espen-Lucas  saw.  The  forgings  are  clamped  in  the  holders  at  each  side 
of  the  saw,  being  handled  in  pairs,  as  shown  in  Fig.  356.  They  are  gaged 
from  the  bottom  of  the  forged  hole  by  means  of  simple  stops,  shown  on 
the  machine  and  also  in  detail  in  Fig.  357.  There  is  a  varying  amount 
to  be  cut  off,  owing  to  the  difference  in  the  depth  of  the  forged  hole, 
but  all  operations  are  gaged  from  the  bottom  of  the  pocket.  The  back 
end  of  the  shell  is  also  faced  off  by  a  large  milUng  cutter  suitably  spaced 


472 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


on  the  same  arbor  as  the  cutting  saw,  so  that  the  face  of  the  shell  is  given 
an  approximately  equal  thickness  in  each  case. 

The  device  for  setting  these  shells  in  the  cutting-off  machine,  as 
shown  in  Fig.  357,  has  several  points  of  interest.     It  consists  primarily 


FIG.    356,       ESPEN-LUCAS    SAW   FOR    OPERATION    2 


ho. 

rjBfir 

/  Ream. 


■>J/k 


l/IL...  pi-''. .>!<.. ..pi-'''. -.J 
K 54- -H 

FIG.    357.       DETAILS    OF   DEPTH    STOP 

of  the  arm  A,  which  swings  on  a  stud  screwed  into  the  bed  and  carries 
the  gages  B  and  C.  These  are  a  good  sliding  fit  through  the  arm  A, 
have  the  inner  point  tapered  and  the  outer  end  knurled  for  easy  handling. 
They  also  have  two  %-in.  grooves,  one  near  each  end,  for  locking  them 
in  either  the  in  or  the  out  position. 


Chap.  X]    MANUFACTURING  120-MlLLlMETER  SERBIAN  SHELLS       473 

This  locking  is  done  by  the  latch  handles  D  and  E,  which  are  pivoted 
so  that  the  weight  of  the  hooked  end  will  keep  them  in  place  in  the 
notch  unless  they  are  lifted  out  by  the  other  end.  The  latches  hold  them 
in  either  position,  and  the  whole  arm  can  be  easily  swung  out  of  the  way 
except  when  the  blanks  are  being  gaged  for  location  in  the  machine. 

Next  comes  the  centering  of  the  back  end.  This  operation  is  done 
in  the  fixture  shown  in  Fig.  358,  which  is  mounted  on  a  24-in.  Snyder 
vertical  drilUng  machine,  that  carries  a  centering  pintle  mounted  on 
trunnions  in  the  side  of  the  fixture  and  is  fitted  with  two  sets  of  three 
centering  fingers,  so  as  to  insure  the  hole  being  drilled  central  with  the 
bore  of  the  shell.     This  fixture  is  shown  in  two  positions  in  Fig.  358, 


FIG.    358.      SWINGING  DRILL  JIG 


while  Fig.  359  gives  the  details  of  its  construction.  The  action  of  the 
centering  fingers  can  be  easily  seen  from  the  sectional  view  in  Fig.  359, 
these  fingers  A  and  B  being  forced  out  by  adjusting  the  nuts  C  and  D 
on  the  rod  E.  The  nuts  carry  right  and  left  threads,  and  the  rod  E 
is  easily  controlled  by  the  handwheel  F,  beneath. 

In  operation  the  shell  is  placed  over  the  spindle  while  in  the  horizontal 
position  shown.  The  shell  is  then  thrown  into  the  vertical  position  and 
locked  by  the  index  pin  G,  on  the  side.  The  handwheel  F  is  turned  until 
the  locking  fingers  grip  the  bore  of  the  shell,  centering  it  for  the  drill, 
which  comes  through  the  bushing  at  the  top.  Details  of  this  pintle  are 
also  shown  in  Fig.  359.     The  fingers  A  and  B  are  held  in  a  closed  position. 

The  third  operation  brings  the  shell  blanks  to  the  lathe  for  rough- 
facing  the  back  end  and  turning  the  bevel,  which  is  considerably  larger 
on  these  shells  than  on  some  others.  This  operation  removes  a  large 
amount  of  metal,  as  can  be  seen  from  the  operation  sketch,  which,  together 
with  the  time  required  for  handling,  consumes  some  15  to  25  min. 


474 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


ro^^i  (pb  ni 


Case  harden 


f<^>i    %%^i^  l^-^g;^     .      cndgrindfhfs 


f\Ha'Tden 


A 


end 


Machine  Sfee/ 
De-kail  Z 


FF^ 


^■^^LHTh'c/ 
De+ail  C 


-1 

H.U 
De+ail  D 


^^^  RKThU 


J"^ 


E<EiM3 


i I 


De+ail  X 


,<-;/?- 


f^2>/>,    De+ailY 


^-^:|lpfx 


iR3J 


Z 
/%/5/c  W/ne 


Drill  kfbr 
Rubber  Buffer, 
'i^.x/^longr 


TFRx 


</ 


FIG.    359.      DETAILS  OF  DRILLING  JIG 


FIG.    360.      DETAILS  OF  DRIVING   MANDREL 


Chap.  X]    MANUFACTURING  120-MILLIMETER  SERBIAN  SHELLS       475 

The  shell  is  held  on  a  three-jawed  mandrel,  or  pintle  A,  these  jaws 
being  expanded  by  a  taper  draw-in  plug  operated  by  a  handwheel  on 
the  rod  that  goes  through  the  hollow  spindle.  The  three  jaws  are  of 
hardened  steel  and  are  curved  on  the  bottom  to  insure  even  seating  on 
the  inside  forged  surface  of  the  shell. 

The  operation  sketch  gives  a  view  of  the  tool  layout,  with  the  squar- 
ing tool  C  and  beveling  tool  D  shown  in  position  in  the  turret  tool  post. 
This  picture  also  shows  how  the  face  of  the  firer  is  set  into  a  recess  in  the 
faceplate  and  is  then  bolted  to  it.  Fig.  360  shows  all  details  of  the  holding 
mechanism.     It  is  set  into  the  faceplate,  as  shown  at  B. 

A  similar  holding  device  is  used  for  the  fourth  operation  of  rough- 
turning  the  outside  diameter  of  the  shell.     This  work  is  in  reahty  spUt 


FIG.  36  L   THE  LATHE  WITH  STOPS  AND  INDEX  NEEDLE 

into  two  suboperations,  the  first  lathe  leaving  about  }{6  in.  to  be  removed 
by  a  second  lathe,  as  this  method  has  been  found  more  satisfactory 
in  maintaining  the  desired  allowance  for  finishing  on  the  last  cut.  No 
particular  lathe  set-up  is  required,  except  as  represented  in  operation 
sketch,  the  only  difference  between  this  and  the  layout  in  the  previous 
operation  being  in  the  tool  used.  The  production  on  the  first  lathe  is 
4  per  hr.;  and  on  the  second  roughing  cut,  a  production  of  8  per  hr.  is 
easily  reached. 

The  work  has  now  progressed  to  the  boring  of  the  shell,  which  is  done 
in  a  LeBlond  turret  lathe  equipped  with  a  special  chuck,  shown  in  Fig. 
361.  The  tool  layout  is  shown  in  Fig.  362,  while  Fig.  361  gives  a  general 
view  of  the  lathe  set-up  for  this  operation. 

Details  of  the  special  chuck  are  shown  in  Fig.  363  and  contain  several 
interesting  features.  It  consists  of  the  cylindrical  body,  which  is  bolted 
to  the  faceplate  by  the  flange  A  and  turned  on  the  outside  at  B  to  run 
in  the  steadyrest  shown.     The  chuck  carries  two  adjusting  collars  C 


476 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


Chap.  X]    MANUFACTURING  120-MILLIMETER  SERBIAN  SHELLS       477 

and  D.  The  front  collar  carries  the  spUt  taper  bushing  E,  which  is  forced 
inward  by  the  front  plate  F,  and  closes  on  the  shell  by  means  of  the  saw 
cuts  on  the  comparatively  thin  taper  section.  The  other  end  of  the 
shell  is  screwed  up  by  the  collar  C  forcing  three  equally  spaced  pins  F 
down  against  the  shell. 


r-"'-i 


■kf^peTap 


„  6,/lllled  Slofs,  „ 


^I- 

FIG.    363.       DETAILS   OF  CHUCK  AND   REST 


Head  Ream^ 
Bo  lis,  on  lis 
Drill  Circle 


6,  i  xl^  Filisierhead  Scre/Ys 
on  d^'Prill  Circk 


The  boring  tool,  shown  in  Fig.  364  at  il,  is  for  rough-boring  the  inside 
of  the  shell  and  consists  of  a  heavy  steel  shank  carrying  a  J^-in.  square 
high-speed  steel  cutter.  This  is  hollow  and  has  a  brass  tube  that  carries 
the  lubricant  direct  to  the  cutting  point.  The  construction  of  the  other 
boring  bars  can  be  readily  seen  from  the  details  and  require  little  explana- 


478 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


Chap.  X]    MANUFACTURING  120-MILLIMETER  SERBIAN  SHELLS       479 

tion.  Another  reamer  is  shown  at  B,  carrying  two  long  blades,  that  lap 
by  each  other  so  that  each  can  present  its  cutting  edge  on  the  center 
line.     Each  also  has  adjusting  and  clamping  screws. 

Behind  the  cutter  blade  is  the  pilot  bushing  A,  which  is  pressed  for- 
ward by  the  helical  spring  B.  This  pilot  enters  the  shell  body  in  the  space 
bored  for  the  thread  and  assists  in  guiding  the  bar  so  that  the  whole  will 
be  reamed  true  to  the  correct  taper  of  1°  12'  42".  The  finishing  reamers 
are  shown  at  E  and  F,  also  the  tool  for  recessing  at  the  bottom  of  the 
thread.  This  carries  a  central  stud,  or  distance  piece  A,  which  locates 
the  recess  with  reference  to  the  bottom  of  the  bore.  The  necessary  side 
movement  is  obtained  by  means  of  the  lever  B. 

Fig.  361  shows  the  carriage  stops  at  C,  a  separate  stop  being  provided 
for  each  turret  position.  A  large  multiplying  lever  A  has  also  been 
added  on  the  front  of  the  lathe  carriage  to  aid  in  quickly  setting  the  turret 
central  at  any  time.  The  short  end  of  this,  at  the  left  of  the  capscrew 
B  that  forms  the  pivot,  is  in  the  form  of  a  bell  crank,  having  a  curved 
surface  presented  to  the  end  of  the  turret  slide. 

The  upper  surface  of  the  cross-slide  way  is  graduated  so  as  to  make  it 
easy  for  the  operator  to  bring  the  turret  to  the  desired  position  quickly. 
This  view  also  gives  a  good  idea  of  the  construction  of  some  of  the  tools 
shown  in  Fig.  364.  It  shows  the  roughing  reamers,  the  tool  for  trimming 
the  end  of  the  shell,  and  the  circular  recessing  tool,  which  cuts  the  groove 
at  the  bottom  of  the  thread  in  the  shell  nose. 

The  boring  is  divided  into  six  suboperations,  the  first  being  to  rough- 
bore  by  using  the  taper  attachment  at  the  back  of  the  carriage,  which  has 
been  fitted  with  a  form  of  the  proper  shape.  This  is  then  released  by 
means  of  a  special  nut,  and  the  turret  is  brought  to  its  central  position 
by  using  the  pointer  already  referred  to. 

The  second  suboperation  rough-faces  the  bottom  of  the  hole  and 
rough-bores  the  thread  diameter.  The  third  suboperation  finishes  the 
taper  at  the  bottom  of  the  shell  with  a  two-bladed  reamer,  shown  at 
E  in  Fig.  364  and  also  in  the  turret-tool  layout.  The  fourth  suboperation 
finishes  the  taper  reaming  and  also  finishes  the  thread  diameter.  Sub- 
operation  No.  5  takes  care  of  the  recess  for  the  thread  and  chamfers  the 
inside  of  the  shell,  while  the  sixth  and  last  suboperation  finishes  the 
tongue  at  the  outer  end  of  the  shell,  completing  the  fifth  operation  in 
an  average  time  of  40  min.,  although  the  operation  has  been  done  in 
24  min. 

After  this  comes  a  bench  inspection,  from  which  the  shells  go  to  a 
Lees-Bradner  thread  miller,  to  have  the  threads  cut  in  the  nose.  Three 
threading  lathes  of  the  Automatic  Machine  Tool  Co.  are  also  used  for 
this  work,  a  roller  rest  being  provided,  as  shown  in  Fig.  365.  Only  one 
threading  tool  is  used  on  the  work  in  the  automatic  threading  lathe. 
The  production  averages  8  shells  per  hr. 


480 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


The  seventh  operation  is  grooving  and  knurhng.  The  driving  plug 
is  screwed  into  the  nose  of  the  shell,  as  shown,  the  work  being  done  in 
a  21-in.  LeBlond  lathe  with  a  turret  tool  post.  The  groove  is  roughed 
out  with  a  square-nosed  tool  in  an  Armstrong  holder.  The  second  sub- 
operation  cuts  the  eight  small  grooves,  leaving  seven  ridges.  The  third 
suboperation  is  undercutting  the  back  side  of  the  groove,  this  being  done 
by  a  tool  fixed  at  the  proper  angle  and  fed  into  the  bottom  of  the  groove 
before  cutting.  By  moving  the  carriage  the  desired  distance  to  the 
right  the  undercut  is  easily  made.  This  is  controlled  by  two  stops  on 
the  lathe  bed,  as  shown,  the  depth  of  all  the  tools  being  determined  by 
a  single  stop  at  the  back  of  the  cross-slide. 


FIG.    365.       AUTOMATIC    THREADING    LATHE 


The  fourth  and  last  suboperation  is  the  knurling,  with  a  knurl  about 
2  in.  in  diameter  and  having  plain,  straight  grooves  properly  spaced  so 
that  the  resulting  effect  at  the  bottom  of  the  band  groove  is  a  series  of 
square  raised  points  all  around  the  groove.  The  use  of  the  large  knurl, 
mounted  on  a  substantial  J^-in.  pin,  makes  this  a  comparatively  easy 
operation. 

With  the  driving  plug  still  in  the  end  of  the  shell,  it  goes  to  the  eighth 
operation — finish-turning  in  a  Prentice  geared  head  lathe.  Three  tools 
are  used  in  a  special  tool  post,  as  shown  in  the  operation  sketch.  One 
tool  turns  the  relief  ahead  of  the  groove,  the  second  roughs  the  back  end 
for  the  cartridge  case,  and  the  third  finishes.  This  operation  averages 
14  min.  each. 

Then  follows  a  bench  inspection,  after  which  the  driving  plug  is  un- 
screwed and  the  shells  go  to  a  lathe  equipped  with  a  flap  chuck,  as  shown 
in  operation  9,  to  have  the  back  end  faced  off  and  the  finish  bevel  put  on 
the  corner.  This  requires  11  min.  Details  of  the  chuck  are  given  in 
Fig.  366. 


Chap.  X]    MANUFACTURING  120-MILLIMETER  SERBIAN  SHELLS       481 
-'Si' 


-> 


OL 


<^£^il 


4,§DrilledHoles 
Spof 
/xKe 


W-sf-A 


T  i  ± 
I  ! 

i 


J- 

5> 


1H3 


FIG.    366.       DETAILS    OF    FLAP    CHUCK 


Fia.    367.      BENCH  INSPECTION  GAGE  FOR  THICKNESS  OF  BOTTOM 


31 


482 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


The  back  end  is  then  marked  on  a  machine  of  the  Dwight-Slate  pattern 
at  the  rate  of  about  50  per  hr.  After  the  stamping,  the  shells  are  cleaned 
in  a  soda  tank  to  cut  out  all  the  grease  and  oil,  after  which  they  go  to 


*S£ 


FIG.    368.      RUNNING   BELT    FOR   THREAD    INSPECTION 


FIG.    369.      THREE-SPINDLE  BARNES   GANG   DRILL  BORING   OGIVES 


the  inspection  bench  to  be  looked  over  by  the  Serbian  Government 
inspectors.  If  satisfactory,  the  shells  are  stamped  and  passed  for 
further  operations. 


Chap.  X]    MANUFACTURING  120-MILLIMETER  SERBIAN  SHELLS       483 

The  inspection  benches  are  well  equipped  with  gages  and  are  built 
of  the  most  convenient  height  for  the  work  to  be  done.  A  gage  used  for 
testing  the  thickness  of  the  back  end  is  shown  in  Fig.  367.  The  shell  is 
placed  over  the  center  spindle  A,  being  guided  by  the  enlarged  portion  B. 
The  measuring  upright  C  carries  the  head  D,  which  is  located  by  a 
shoulder  on  C  and  carries  the  adjustable  measuring  point  E.  This  can 
be  handled  very  rapidly  and  gives  good  results. 


Leng+h  of  Thread  | 

Turning  Thread  Diam        ^^^^^^  ^°^  T'^'^^^d  q 


2.7oe"i 3 

Dep+h  of  Hole 
O 


Shape  of  Inside 

E 


& 


aioo 


Dep+h  of  Circular  Groove 
G 

'4.154 
Diame+er  Circular  Groove 

F 

PIG.  370.   GAGES  FOR  SECOND  OGIVE  OPERATION 


For  testing  the  threads  in  the  ends  of  shells  a  belt  arrangement  is 
used,  as  shown  in  Fig.  368,  which  saves  both  time  and  fatigue  on  the  part 
of  the  inspector.  This  belt  runs  continuously.  By  laying  a  shell  on  the 
belt-covered  pulleys  it  is  revolved  so  that  the  plug  gage  need  only  be 
held  still  in  the  hand.  For  running  the  gage  out,  the  inspector  uses  the 
gage  as  a  handle  and  turns  the  shell  end  for  end  on  the  belt.  In  this 
way  the  rotation  is  reversed  and  the  plug  gage  is  unscrewed. 


484 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  11 


The  shells  are  now  ready  to  have  the  ogives  screwed  in,  so  that  these 
can  be  finished  in  place  on  the  shell  body. 

The  ogive,  which  is  the  term  for  the  nose,  or  ''pointed  arch,"  comes 


in  the  shape  of  a  forging  weighing  about  15  lb.  The  first  operation  is 
to  drill  a  IJ^-in.  hole  through  the  ends,  a  three-spindle  Barnes  gang 
drill  being  used  for  this  purpose,  as  shown  in  Fig.  369.  One  man  handles 
about  5  pieces  per  hour  on  this  machine. 


Chap.  X]    MANUFACTURING  120-MILLIMETER  SERBIAN  SHELLS       485 

The  second  operation  forms  the  inside,  turns  the  outside,  and  threads 
for  screwing  into  the  body  of  the  shell.  This  operation  is  performed  on 
a  Jones  &  Lamson  machine,  its  threading  attachment  proving  very 
satisfactory^  for  this  work.  The  gages  for  this  operation  are  shown  in 
Fig.  370.     The  production  is  20  for  a  10-hr.  day. 

Two  alternate  methods  of  boring  the  ogives  are  shown  in  Fig.  371. 
Both  are  on  Bullard  vertical  lathes,  the  difference  being  in  the  method 
of  using  the  forming  cam.  In  the  first,  at  the  left,  the  boring  was  done 
by  the  side  head,  the  cam  being  placed  at  A,  as  shown.  This  formed  the 
inside  of  the  ogive  as  the  side  head  was  fed  down. 

The  second  method  is  an  improvement  over  this,  as  by  placing  the 
cam  so  as  to  utilize  the  boring  tools  in  the  turre  t  it  leaves  the  side  head 


FIG.    372.      GAGES   FOR   THIRD    OGIVE    OPERATION 


free  to  turn  the  outside  for  the  thread  at  the  same  time.  The  difference 
in  these  methods  is  seen  in  the  production  times.  For  150-mm.  ogives 
the  first  way  required  about  2J^  hr.  each;  and  the  second,  35  min. 

For  the  third  operation  also  performed  on  a  Jones  &  Lamson  machine, 
the  ogive  is  held  in  a  special  chuck  having  a  steel  ring  fastened  to  its  face 
and  threaded  to  receive  the  large  end  of  the  ogive.  After  it  is  screwed 
in  place,  the  three  inside  jaws  grip  it  firmly,  while  the  outer  ring  not 
only  centers  it,  but  also  prevents  distortion. 

The  small  end  is  then  bored  out,  enlarging  the  drilled  hole  to  the 
proper  size;  a  recess  is  cut  for  the  end  of  the  thread  and  the  outer  end 
faced  to  length.     The  gages  for  this  operation  are  shown  in  Fig.  372. 

The  fourth  operation  threads  the  hole  in  the  point,  a  special  thread- 
hobbing  fixture  being  used,  as  shown  in  Fig.  373.  The  hob  runs  225 
r.p.m.,  while  the  work  turns  1  revolution  in  2  min.  This  gives  a  produc- 
tion of  9  per  hr. 

The  fifth  and  last  operation  rough-forms  the  ogive  on  a  Prentice 
geared  head  lathe,  using  a  form  at  the  back  of  the  carriage.  The  inspec- 
tion is  then  made  before  the  ogive  goes  to  be  assembled  for  final  turning. 

The  ogives  are  then  screwed  solidly  into  place,  operation  13.  This 
work  is  done  by  hand  while  the  shell  itself  is  held  in  the  vise  of  a  clamp, 
shown  in  Fig.  374,  which  is  mounted  on  a  stand  so  as  to  be  of  convenient 


486 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


^  t<r^z?>T? 


I      'f/r'ecrm  ,  j 

k 7i ■>i 


U  0960  m^ 
-J    Threaded  PIU9 


Vise  "for  Assembfing  Ogive 

FIG.    374.      FIXTURES   FOR   SCREWING  IN   OGIVE 


Chap.  X]    MANUFACTURING  120-MlLLlMETER  SERBIAN  SHELLS       487 

height.  The  shells  are  clamped  in  this  vise  by  means  of  the  cam  shown, 
the  ogives  started  in  by  hand  and  the  assembling  plug  screwed  into  the 
nose  of  the  ogive. 

This  plug  consists  of  a  central  stud  squared  at  one  end,  threaded  at 
the  other  and  having  a  thrust  collar  against  which  the  ball  thrust,  shown, 
bears.  The  ball  thrust  is  held  in  position  by  the  three  side  fingers  with 
hooked  ends  so  that  it  is  perfectly  free  to  move.  The  stud  is  screwed 
into  the  nose  of  the  ogive,  and  the  ogive  itself  is  forced  into  the  shell  by 
a  large  ratchet  wrench  fitting  on  the  squared  end  of  the  plug. 

These  parts  must  be  forced  together  very  tightly,  both  on  account  of 
the  necessity  of  their  being  virtually  one  piece  of  metal  and  on  account  of 


FIG.    375.      FINISH-TURNING    OGIVE    AND    SHELL 


the  difficulty  of  varnishing  in  case  they  are  not.  The  latter  difficulty 
comes  from  the  fact  that,  if  the  stud  and  the  ogive  are  not  tight,  oil  is 
apt  to  be  forced  out  when  the  shells  are  cleaned  by  air  pressure  on  the 
inside,  and  this  makes  it  difficult  for  either  the  varnish  or  the  paint  to 
dry  satisfactorily.  Two  men  working  in  conjunction  obtain  an  average 
output  on  this  operation  of  30  pieces  per  hour. 

The  fourteenth  operation.  Fig.  375,  uses  the  same  style  of  chuck  as 
that  shown  in  operation  No.  9  and  finishes  the  curve  on  the  ogive  by  a 
form  on  the  back  of  the  lathe-carriage  turret.  It  also  finishes  the  front 
end  of  the  shell  body  itself,  this  curve  continuing  from  the  ogive  back 
on  to  the  body  for  about  l}^  in.  The  finishing  is  done  on  21-in.  lathes 
of  both  Hendey  and  LeBlond  makes,  the  production  being  from  2  to 
23^  per  hr.     The  gages  are  shown  in  Fig.  375. 

The  copper  bands  are  next  swaged  on  the  shells,  on  a  West  tire- 
setting  machine,  each  band  being  pressed  in  three  positions  at  1,500  lb. 
pressure.     This  work  is  handled  at  the  rate  of  30  per  hr. 


488 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


Then  comes  the  turning  of  the  band  by  the  use  of  two  tools  in  a  tool 
post,  Fig.  376.  The  first  tool  turns  the  band  to  the  approximate  outside 
diameter,  while  the  second  forms  both  sides  and  the  outside  diameter 
at  the  same  time.     The  finished  band  is  a  trifle  wider  than  the  slot 


FIG.    376.      TURNING   THE  BAND 


in  which  it  is  held.  This  operation  uses  the  same  style  of  chuck  as 
that  in  operations  9  and  14,  and  production  is  30  per  hr.  per  machine. 
The  whole  shell  is  then  cleaned  in  a  tank  of  heated  soda  that  is  blown  up 
into  the  inside  by  an  air  jet  at  the  rate  of  50  per  hr.     Then  comes  the 


FIG.    377.       OPERATION    19:   TANK   FOR   CLEANING 

final  shop  inspection  and  at  the  same  time  the  inspection  by  the  represen- 
tatives of  the  Serbian  government. 

From  here   the  shells   go  to  the  finishing   department,  where  they 
are  again  washed  in  hot  soda  and  also  hot  water.     The  tank  used  for 


Chap.  X]    MANUFACTURING  120-MILLIMETER  SERBIAN  SHELLS       489 

this  purpose  is  shown  in  Fig.  377,  the  compartment  at  the  left  being  for 
soda  water,  while  the  other  two  compartments  contain  simply  hot  water 
as  free  from  soda  as  can  be  maintained  as  the  shells  pass  from  one  to  the 
other. 

Arrangements  are  made  for  a  gang  of  six  men,  three  on  each  side, 
each  being  provided  with  an  upright  washing  pipe  that  has  radial  per- 
forations at  the  upper  end.  The  central  stem  controls  an  air  valve,  so 
that  by  dropping  a  shell  over  the  upright  pipe  and  pressing  down,  the 
air  valve  at  the  bottom  is  opened  and  a  shower  of  hot  water,  either  soda 
or  plain,  is  forced  all  over  the  interior,  cleaning  it  perfectly  and  allowing 


FIG.    378.       OPERATION    20:   VARNISHING    SHELLS 


the  shells  to  be  handled  very  rapidly.  The  exact  rate  varies  of  course 
with  the  size  and  weight  of  the  shells  to  be  handled  and  the  strength  and 
agility  of  the  men. 

After  cleaning,  the  shells  are  then  ready  for  the  inside  varnishing, 
which  forms  the  twentieth  operation  and  is  done  on  the  machine  shown  in 
Fig.  378.  This  consists  merely  of  two  pairs  of  rollers,  which  are  revolved 
by  power  and  on  which  the  shell  to  be  varnished  is  laid  as  at  J..  The 
varnishing  head  is  seen  at  B,  carrying  a  nozzle  that  reaches  to  the  bottom 
of  the  shell.  This  nozzle  sprays  the  varnish  on  the  inside,  but  does  not 
become  operative  until  the  head  has  been  pushed  into  the  shell.  Then 
an  air  valve  is  tripped,  and  the  varnish  is  sprayed  over  the  interior  of 
the  revolving  shell  as  the  varnishing  head  moves  out  by  power.  The 
spray  is  cut  off  at  a  predetermined  point,  as  it  is  only  necessary  to  varnish 
the  lower  part  of  the  bore  in  most  cases.  This  limit  can,  however,  be 
easily  varied  for  any  length  of  shell  and  to  varnish  either  a  part  or  the 
whole  interior,  as  may  be  desired.  This  inside  varnishing  can  be  done  at 
the  rate  of  120  per  hr. 


490 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


The  suboperation  is  the  varnishing  of  the  outside  of  the  shell,  which 
is  done  under  a  hood,  shown  at  the  right.  A  revolving  spindle  supports 
the  nose  of  the  shell  and  revolves  it  vertically,  while  the  operator  sprays 
on  the  varnish  with  the  air-spraying  arrangement  shown  at  C.  The 
protector  D  is  swung  in  front  of  the  shell  to  keep  the  varnish  off  the  band. 
Inside  the  hood  is  a  large  exhaust  fan  to  keep  the  atmosphere  as  clear  of 
the  varnish  vapors  as  possible.  The  outside  varnishing  of  the  shells 
can  also  be  handled  at  the  rate  of  about  120  per  hr.  This  is  done  in  the 
De  Vilbiss  painting  machine. 

The  next,  or  twenty-first,  operation  is  baking  the  varnish  for  8  hr.  at 
a  temperature  of  about  300  deg.  F.  For  this  purpose  the  shells  are  placed 
in  metal  trucks,  one  of  which  is  shown  in  Fig.  379.     The  trucks  vary 


FIG.    379.      TRUCK   FOR  BAKING   SHELLS 

somewhat  in  construction,  according  to  the  size  of  the  shell.  The  one 
shown  is  for  the  70-  and  75-mm.  shells  and  contains  movable  separation 
strips,  as  shown.  The  trucks  for  the  larger  shells  contain  permanent 
divisions  formed  by  crossbars  of  angle  iron. 

Operation  22 — painting — is  shown  in  Fig.  380.  As  can  be  seen,  it 
is  divided  into  stages,  according  to  the  number  of  operators.  Four  men 
are  generally  used,  the  first  painting  the  end  of  the  shell,  the  next  a  band 
the  width  of  his  brush,  just  below  the  bronze  rifling  ring,  the  third  a 
band  at  the  other  end,  and  the  fourth  filling  in  the  unpainted  space.  By 
working  in  this  way  120  shells  per  hr.  can  be  handled  regularly. 


Chap.  X]    MANUFACTURING  120-MILLIMETER  SERBIAN  SHELLS       491 

High-explosive  shells  are  painted  a  bright  yellow,  while  shrapnel 
are  painted  a  vivid  red;  but  no  paint  must  go  on  what  might  be  called 
the  bearing  surface  of  the  shell — both  the  copper  band  and  the  part 
just  behind  the  ogive,  which  is  an  important  diameter,  as  it  fits  the  gun 
bore. 


FIG.    380.       PAINTING    THE    SHELLS 

After  painting,  the  shells  go  to  another  drying  oven  at  a  temperature 
of  150  deg.  F.  for  12  hr.  They  are  then  ready  to  have  the  point  screwed 
into  place  in  the  nose  as  a  protector;  this  is  done  just  before  packing. 
These  points  have  previously  been  varnished  in  the  same  place  as  the 
outside  of  the  shell,  some  being  shown  in  Fig.  378. 


Spot 
Drill 


Turn 
1^  Slide 


~\Cuix}fT 
/Tool 


2"i*Slicle  S-^SIide  4*S!ide 

FIG.    381.      FORMING   AND   THREADING   POINT 


The  point,  or  cap,  that  protects  the  thread  in  the  ogives  so  that  the 
fuse  can  be  screwed  in  without  difficulty  is  made  from  bar  stock.  This 
usage  is  an  interesting  variation  from  the  brass,  zinc  and  wooden  caps 
that  are  now  employed  for  this  purpose.  These  points  are  turned  from 
2J^6  bar  steel  on  Gridley  43r^-in.  automatics.     The  first  operation  is 


492 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


shown  in  Fig.  381,  together  with  the  tool  layout,  the  production  being 
5  per  hr.  The  side  wrench  slots  are  then  milled,  the  point  being  held  in 
a  split  chuck  on  a  small  hand  miller  and  indexed  in  two  positions,  so  that 
the  end  mill  can  cut  the  desired  slot,  the  depth  being  determined  by  a 
suitable  stop.     The  production  here  is  25  per  hr. 

The  cone  end  of  the  point  is  shaved  on  a  Bardons  &  Oliver  hand  turret 
at  the  rate  of  20  per  hr.,  the  point  being  held  in  a  screw  chuck  and  a 
single  tool  used  in  the  cross-slide  for  this  purpose. 

Then  comes  the  rethreading,  which,  instead  of  being  done  by  hand,  as 
in  most  cases,  is  handled  on  a  vertical  drill,  as  shown  in  Fig.  382  (spring 
prong)  dies  are  used  in  the  drilling-machine  spindle,  while  the  point  to  be 


FIG.    382.       RETHREADING    POINT 

rethreaded  rests  in  a  suitable  pocket  in  a  holding  fixture  on  the  table. 
The  cap  is  prevented  from  turning  by  two  studs  that  fit  the  wrench  slots. 

No  difficulty  seems  to  be  experienced  in  catching  the  thread,  a  tapping 
head  being  used  for  reversal.  It  is  also  easy  to  prevent  the  die  going  on 
too  far,  by  simply  lifting  the  whole  spindle  so  that  the  prongs  do  not 
engage,  allowing  the  point  to  revolve  with  the  die.  This  method  is 
certainly  easier  than  rethreading  by  hand,  even  though  the  production 
may  not  be  as  much  higher  as  might  be  imagined.  In  this  case  it  is  22 
to  25  per  hr.,  but  it  must  be  remembered  that  these  points  are  of  steel 
and  that  the  thread  is  nearly  2  in.  in  outside  diameter.  The  points  are 
then  inspected  and  after  being  varnished  inside  are  screwed  into  place 
on  the  otherwise  completely  assembled  shell,  operation  24. 

Each  shell  is  then  wrapped  in  oiled  paper  and  packed  four  in  a  box, 
as  shown  in  Fig.  383.     Separators  are  used  to  hold  the  shells  firmly  in 


Chap.  X]    MANUFACTURING  120-MILLIMETER  SERBIAN  SHELLS       493 

position,  and  corresponding  forms  go  on  top  of  the  shell,  so  that  the  cover 
holds  them  tightly  in  place.  The  construction  of  the  box,  the  handles 
of  light  rope  and  the  marking  of  the  box  are  clearly  shown. 

The  covers  are  screwed  in  place,  and  it  will  be  noticed  that  some  of 
the  screw  holes  A  are  counterbored  to  nearly  an  inch  in  diameter — before 


r 

@                    ®                   @ 

^ 

^rr  Ton  120% 

®" 

4  PA30PHMX  3HHA 

® 

2,         M.  .897       _ 

=5 

® 

d 

FIG.    383.      BOXING  BEFORE   SHIPPING 


the  official  sealing.  After  the  screws  have  been  put  in  place,  sealing  wax 
is  poured  into  these  holes,  and  the  inspector  presses  into  the  wax  a  seal 
bearing  the  Government  coat  of  arms.  This  is  to  insure  against  the 
shells  being  tampered  with  between  the  last  Government  inspection  at 
the  factory  and  their  arrival  at  the  various  points  where  they  are  to  be 
loaded. 


CHAPTER  XI 

MANUFACTURING  FRENCH   120-MILLIMETER  EXPLOSIVE 

SHELLS^ 

The  manufacture  of  120-millimeter  high-explosive  shells  for  the 
French  Government  (see  Fig.  384)  entails  exacting  work  with  very  little 
tolerance  and  is  further  complicated  by  the  requirements  of  a  test  for 
hardness  of  shell,  hydraulic  pressure  tests,  volumetric  measurements  and 
a  test  for  the  center  of  gravity  of  the  shell.  Altogether,  from  the  un- 
loading of  the  rough  shell  forgings  at  the  manufacturer's  plant  to  the 
shipping  of  the  completed  shell,  some  52  distinct  operations  have  proved 
advisable.  These,  in  the  order  in  which  they  are  performed,  are  as 
follows : 


■2.756 


Sjk 


7.9134 


^1.5748'- 


\+0.OI9T,\ 

Um^ — V{-.-4.v'- — ^>l<- 

\^.J^'^,.M^lt 16.0632  Minimum,  409  ""/m. 

16 1420  /Maximum,  410  '^7'^, 
riG.    384.      DETAIL   OF   FRENCH    120-MILLIMETER  EXPLOSIVE   SHELL 


SEQUENCE  OF  OPERATIONS 

1.  Unloading  the  shell  forgings. 

2.  Pickling  the  forgings. 

3.  Cleaning-out  and  inspection  of  forgings. 

4.  Centering  the  base. 

5.  Reaming  out  powder  pocket. 

6.  Cutting-off  open  end. 

7.  Cleaniug  out  burr  and  rough  turning. 

8.  Reaming  out  lower  end  of  shell. 

9.  Facing  closed  end  and  gaging  for  thickness  of  bottom. 

10.  Re-centering  base. 

11.  Turning  to  profile. 

1  Reginald  Trautschold. 

494 


Chap.  XI]        FRENCH  120-MILLIMETER  EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  495 

12.  Inspection. 

13.  Nosing-in  open  end  of  shell. 

14.  Rough-boring  nose  and  facing  to  length. 

15.  Washing  and  testing  for  volume. 

16.  Heat  treatment. 

17.  Quenching. 

18.  Drawing. 

19.  Testing  for  hardness. 

20.  Pickling  nosed-in  shell. 

21.  Finish-boring  and  tapping  nose. 

22.  Tapping  nose  on  drill  press. 

23.  Facing  bottom  to  thickness. 

24.  Washing. 

25.  Screwing-in  center  plug. 

26.  Turning  body.  » 

27.  Rough-turning  taper. 

28.  Finish-turning  taper. 

29.  Rough-turning  nose. 

30.  Finish-turning  nose. 

31.  Forming  band  groove. 

32.  Grinding  shoulder. 

33.  Grinding  taper  and  back  of  band. 

34.  Finish-turning  body. 

35.  Preliminary  weighing. 

36.  Re-turning  nose  to  weight. 

37.  Removing  center  plug. 

38.  Cutting-o£f  central  teat. 

39.  Re-facing  nose. 

40.  Hydraulic  pressure  test. 

41.  Banding. 

42.  Hand  tapping. 

43.  Band  turning. 

44.  Washing. 

45.  Final  gaging. 

46.  Final  interior  inspection  and  eccentricity  test. 

47.  Government  inspection. 

48.  Marking  shells. 

49.  Greasing  shells. 

50.  Putting  plug  in  nose. 

51.  Boxing. 

52.  Loading  shells  into  freight  car. 

PRINCIPAL  EQUIPMENT  AND  OPERATING  DATA 

OPERATION  2.      PICKLING  THE  FORGINGS 

Equipment — Wooden  pickling  vats. 

Solutions — Vat  No.  1,  dilute  sulphuric  acid.     Vat  No.  2,  hot  water.     Vat  No.  3, 
solution  of  lime  water. 

Production — 20  to  25  per  hr. 

OPERATION    3.      CLEANING-OUT    AND    INSPECTION 

Equipment— Wire  brush,  bristle  brush,  electric  lamp. 
Inspection — Interior  gaging. 
Production — 35  per  hr. 


496  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  [Sec.  II 

OPERATION    4.      CENTERING    BASE 

Machine  Used — 24-in.  stationary  drill  press. 
Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Tilting  arbor. 
Production — 15  per  hr.  (av.),  25  per  hr.  (high). 

OPERATION    5.       REAMING    OUT    POWDER    POCKET 

Machine  Used — Acme  Bolt  Cutter. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Cutting  bar,  work  clamp. 

Production — 7.5  per  hr.  (av.),  15.6  per  hr.  (high). 

OPERATION     6.       CUTTING-OFF 

Machine  Used— Acme  Bolt  Cutter. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Air  chuck,  cutting-off  attachment,  high-speed  steel 
cutters. 

Production — 7.5  per  hr.  (av.),  12.1  per  hr.  (high). 

OPERATION  7.   ROUGH  TURNING 

Machine  Used — 24-in.  American  Lathe. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Air  chuck,  cutting  tools. 

Production — 7.5  per  hr.  (av.),  12  per  hr.  (high). 

OPERATION     8.       REAMING     LOWER     END 

Machine  Used — Acme  Bolt  Cutter. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Reaming  bar,  clamp. 

Production — 7.5  per  hr.  (av.),  14.4  per  hr.  (high). 

OPERATION      9.       FACING      CLOSED      END 

Machine  Used — 24-in.  Bradford  Lathe. 
Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Two  facing  tools. 
Inspection — Gaging  thickness  of  bottom. 
Production — 6  per  hr.  (av.),  9.4  per  hr.  (high). 

OPERATION  10.       RE-CENTERING  BASE 

Machine  Used — Drill  press. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Tilting  arbor. 

Production — 15  per  hr. 

OPERATION    11.       TURNING    TO    PROFILE 

Machine  Used — 24-in.  Boy  &  Emmes  Lathe. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Guide  plate  and  follower,  air  chuck. 

Production — 7.5  per  hr.  (av.),  10  per  hr.  (high). 

OPERATION    13.       NOSING-IN 

Machine  Used — 400-lb.  Beaudry  Hammer. 
Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Hammer  dies,  chuck. 
Production — 30  per  hr. 

OPERATION   14.       ROUGH-BORING  NOSE   AND   FACING  TO  LENGTH 

Machine  Used — 24-in.  drill  press. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Drilling  jig,  high-speed  drill,  high-speed  steel  facing 
cutter. 

Production — 5  per  hr.  (av.),  7.5  per  hr.  (high). 


Chap.  XI]         FRENCH  120-MILLIMETER  EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  497 


OPERATION     16.      HEAT    TREATMENT 

Equipment — Tempering  furnace. 
Temperature — 1,800  deg.  F. 
Duration  of  Treatment — 30  min. 
Remarks — 16  shells  treated  at  one  time. 

OPERATION     17.      QUENCHING 

Equipment — Special  needle  bath. 

Remarks — Shells  to  be  sprayed  with  cold  water,  both  inside  and  out,  until  cold. 

OPERATION      18.       DRAWING 

Equipment — Drawing  furnace. 

Temperature— 1,000  deg.  F. 

Duration  of  Draw — 20  min. 

Production — 2  men  average  15  shells  per  hr. 

Remarks — Shells  are  allowed  to  cool  in  sand. 

OPERATION    19.       TESTING    FOR   HARDNESS 

Machine  Used — Brinell  Ball  Testing  Machine. 
Duration  of  Test — 30  sec. 
Production — 30  per  hr. 

OPERATION  20.       PICKLING  NOSED-IN  SHELLS 

Equipment — Wooden  pickling  vats. 
Solutions — Same  as  for  operation  2. 
Remarks — Nosed-in  shells  are  pickled  while  the  rough  forgings  are  being  treated. 

OPERATION    21.       FINISH-BORING    AND    TAPPING    NOSE 

Machine  Used — Turret  lathe. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Cutters  and  Murchey  taps. 

Production — 5  per  hr.  (av.),  6  per  hr.  (high). 

OPERATION    22.       TAPPING    ON    DRILL    PRESS 

Machine  Used — 24-in.  drill  press. 
Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Work  holder. 
Production — 20  per  hr. 

OPERATION    23.       FACING   BOTTOM    TO    THICKNESS 

Machine  Used — Engine  lathe. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Screw  arbor  and  steadyrest. 

Inspection — Gaging  for  bottom  thickness. 

Production — 5  per  hr. 

OPERATION    26.      TURNING    BODY 

Machine  Used — 24-in.  American  Lathe. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Tool  carriage  and  two  tools. 

Production — 6  per  hr.  (av.),  10.6  per  hr.  (high). 

OPERATION  27.       ROUGH-TURNING  TAPER 

Machine  Used — 24-in.  American  Lathe. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Flat  turning  tool,  profile  plate. 

Production — 8  per  hr.  (av.),  15  per  hr.  (high). 

32 


498  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  [Sec.  II 

OPERATION  28.      FINISH-TURNING  TAPER 

Machine  Used — 24-in.  American  Lathe. 
Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Profile  plate. 
Production — 8  per  hr.  (av.),  20  per  hr.  (.high). 

OPERATION     29.      ROUGH-TURNING     NOSE 

Machine  Used — 24-in.  American  Lathe. 
Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Profile  plate. 
Production — 5  per  hr.  (av.),  8.5  per  hr.  (high). 

OPERATION   30.      FINISH-TURNING    NOSE 

Machine  Used — 24-in.  American  Lathe. 
Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Profile  plate. 
Production — 5  per  hr.  (av.),  15  per  hr.  (high). 

OPERATION  3L      FORMING  BAND  GROOVE 

Machine  Used — 24-in.  turret  lathe. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Grooving  and  undercutting  tool,  scoring  and  knurling 
tools. 

Production — 10  per  hr. 
Remarks — 4  sub-operations. 

OPERATION     32.      GRINDING     SHOULDER 

Machine  Used — 24-in.  Modern  Grinder. 
Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Profile  plate. 
Production — 12  per  hr.  (av.),  26  per  hr.  (high). 

OPERATION    33.      GRINDING    TAPER    AND    BACK  'OF    BAND 

Machine  Used — 24-in.  Modem  Grinder. 
Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Profile  plate. 
Production — 12  per  hr.  (av.),  20  per  hr.  (high). 

OPERATION   34.      FINISH-TURNING  BODY 

Machine  Used — 24-in.  American  Lathe. 
Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — None. 
Production — 10  per  hr. 
Remarks — Shells  turned  to  4.665-in.  diameter. 

OPERATION  38.       CUTTING-OFF  CENTRAL  TEAT 

Machine  Used — Power  hack-saw. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — None. 

Production — 15  per  hr. 

Remarks — The  stub  left  by  the  saw  is  removed  on  a  Besley  ring  grinder. 

OPERATION     39.      RE-FACING     NOSE 

Machine  Used — 24-in.  American  Lathe. 
Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — None. 

Remarks — This  operation  required  only  for  shells  on  which  the  nose  has  become 
roughened. 


Chap.  XI]         FRENCH  120-MILLIMETER  EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  499 

OPERATION  40.      HYDRAULIC  PRESSURE  TEST 

Machine  Used — Special  hydraulic  press. 

Pressure — 15,700  lb.  per  sq.  in. 

Duration  of  Test — 30  sec. 

Maximum  Allowable  Expansion — 0.004-in.  (permanent). 

Production — 35  per  hr. 

OPERATION   41.      BANDING 

Machine  Used — West  Tire  Setter. 
Pressure — 1,500  lb.  per  sq.  in. 
Production — 50  per  hr. 
Remarks — Shell  subjected  to  3  squeezes. 

OPERATION    42.      HAND    TAPPING 

Machine  Used — Portable  air  drill. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Adjustable  hand  taps. 

Production — 2  men,  12.5  per  hr. 

OPERATION  43.      BAND  TURNING 

Machine  Used — Engine  lathe. 

Special  Tools  and  Fixtures — Tool  carriage  and  tools. 
Production — 12  per  hr.  (av.),  30  per  hr.  (high). 
Remarks — 5  sub-operations. 

Making  the  Shells. — Fig.  385  depicts  an  efficiently  laid-out  factory- 
engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  French  120-millimeter  high-explosive 
shells  and  illustrates,  an  economic  routing  system,  back  tracking  being 
reduced  to  a  minimum. 

The  rough  shell  forgings  are  received  at  a  railroad  siding  adjacent 
to  the  pickling  department  and  as  unloaded  are  stacked  in  storage  piles 
along  the  track.  From  this  storage,  the  rough  forgings  are  trucked  to 
the  pickling  house  where  the  scale  is  removed  and  the  shells  thoroughly 
cleaned. 

In  the  pickling  house  there  are  three  wooden  vats,  one  containing  a 
solution  of  10  per  cent,  sulphuric  acid,  the  next  water  and  the  third 
Ume  water.  The  liquids  are  maintained  at  a  temperature  of  about  200 
deg.  F.  by  steam  pipes  from  the  gas  heated  boiler  located  in  the  build- 
ing. The  forgings  are  first  placed  in  the  sulphuric  acid  vat,  laid  on  their 
sides,  for  about  30  min.,  or  until  all  scale  is  eaten  off.  They  are  then 
rinsed  in  the  hot  water  vat  and  placed  in  the  lime  water  vat  for  20  min. 
to  nullify  their  acidity.  Two  men  can  handle  from  20  to  25  forgings  per 
hour. 

From  the  pickling  house,  the  forgings  are  trucked  to  the  machine 
shop  where  they  are  laid  on  tables  and  thoroughly  brushed  out  inside, 
first  with  a  wire  brush  and  then  with  a  bristle  brush.  At  the  same  time 
they  are  carefully  examined  for  exterior  cracks  and  seams  and  inspected 
for  general  dimensions.     An  electric  lamp  is  next  inserted  in  the  shell 


500 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


and  the  interior  examined  for  seams,  cracks,  pit  holes,  etc.     One  inspector 
can  examine  about  35  forgings  per  hour. 

The  cleaned  forgings  are  then  taken  to  a  24-in.  stationary  drill  press 
furnished  with  a  tilting  arbor  for  centering.     The  shell  forging  is  slipped 


over  the  arbor  and  a  60-deg.  center  drilled,  care  being  taken  to  have  the 
center  as  near  concentric  with  the  inside  of  the  shell  as  possible.  Accuracy- 
is  secured  by  revolving  the  forging  to  a  different  position  after  the  center 


Chap.  XI]         FRENCH  120-MILLIMETER  EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  501 

has  been  about  one-half  drilled  and  completing  the  drilling  with  the  shell 
in  the  new  position.  This  operation  should  be  performed  by  the  average 
operator  at  a  rate  of  15  per  hour,  while  25  shells  per  hour  can  be  centered 
by  an  expert. 

The  centered  forgings  are  then  taken  to  an  Acme  Bolt  Cutter  for  the 
fifth  operation — i.e.,  reaming  out  the  powder  pocket  at  the  bottom  of 
the  shell.  The  shell  forging  is  placed  in  a  powerful  clamp  and  backed 
up  against  a  center  on  the  work  carriage — see  Fig.  386.  The  boring, 
or  cutting,  bar  carries  a  tool  steel  cutter  conforming  to  the  shape  of  the 


FIG.    386.       ACME   BOLT   CUTTER    SET-UP   FOR   REAMING    OUT   POWDER   POCKET 

powder  pocket  and  is  fed  into  the  forging  until  clean  metal  is  cut.  In  the 
illustration  the  boring  bar  is  shown  equipped  with  a  heavy  cast-iron  pilot 
with  commodious  chip  grooves  to  assure  rigidity  and  maintain  con- 
centricity. A  cutting  lubricant  is  used  in  this  operation  which  should 
be  performed  at  a  rate  of  8  min.  per  shell.  Such  production  can  be 
materially  bettered,  however,  for  as  high  as  156  forgings  have  been  reamed 
out  in  10  hours. 

Cutting-off  the  open  end  of  the  forging  is  also  done  on  an  Acme  Bolt 
Cutter,  one  furnished  with  an  air  chuck  and  a  Hurlburt-Rogers  cutting- 
off  attachment  carrying  two  high-speed  steel  cutters.     One  tool  cuts  in 


502 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


front  and  the  other  at  the  back  of  the  forging — see  Fig.  387.  The  tail- 
stock  on  the  machine  is  also  somewhat  unusual  in  being  hinged  so  as  to 
permit  the  rapid  insertion  and  removal  of  the  work.  Eight  minutes  are 
ordinarily  required  for  this  operation,  but  121  shells  have  been  trimmed  off 
in  10  hours. 

After  this  the  shell  is  turned  over  to  the  operator  of  a  24-in.  American 
Lathe  who  first  cleans  out  the  burr  left  by  the  cutting  tools  of  the  previous 
operation  and  then  rough-turns  the  forging.  The  shell  is  driven  by  an 
air  chuck.  Two  tools  are  again  used,  one  roughing  on  the  back  and  the 
other  finishing  on  the  front,  the  shell  being  turned  to  4:'^^{Q-m.  diameter. 


FIG.    387.       ACME   BOLT    CUTTER    SET-UP    FOR    CUTTING-OFF   FORGINGS 


This  consumes  from  5  to  8  min.  the  former  being  the  record  and  the 
latter  the  average  time. 

The  work  is  then  taken  to  an  Acme  Bolt  Cutter,  similar  to  the  one 
employed  for  operation  5  but  with  a  somewhat  different  carriage  and 
clamp,  and  the  lower  end  of  the  shell  reamed  out  concentrically  with  its 
roughly  turned  outside.  The  average  time  for  this  operation  is  about 
8  min.  and  the  record  4:}i  min. 

The  ninth  operation  is  performed  on  a  24-in.  Bradford  Lathe  and 
consists  in  facing  the  closed  end  of  the  shell.  A  steadyrest  supports  the 
deep  overhung  chuck  (see  Fig.  388)  and  two  cutting  tools  are  employed. 


Chap.  XI]         FRENCH  120-MILLIMETER  EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


503 


one  set  1  in.  in  advance  of  the  other.  One  tool  faces  off  the  end  of  the 
shell  and  the  other  faces  the  central  teat  so  that  it  protrudes  but  1-in. 
from  the  base  of  the  shell.  The  central  teat  is  also  reduced  to  134  in. 
in  diameter.  The  facing  of  the  base  leaves  only  enough  metal  in  excess 
of  the  required  bottom  thickness  for  the  final  facing  cut,  so  the  thickness 
of  the  bottom  is  carefully  gaged  after  this  operation.  The  required 
rate  of  production  is  6  shells  per  hour  but  as  high  as  94  shells  have  been 
faced  in  10  hours,  by  one  operator. 

The  operation  of  facing  the  base  having  removed  the  base  center  of 
the  rough  forging,  the  base  is  now  re-centered  and  the  new  center  counter- 


FIG.  388.   24-IN.  BRADFORD  LATHE  SET-UP  FOR  FACING  BASE 


bored  for  protection  during  the  subsequent  nosing-in  operation.  This 
is  done  on  a  vertical  drill  press  similar  to  the  one  employed  for  operation 
4  and  the  production  rate,  owing  to  the  double  operation  of  centering 
and  counterboring,  is  rarely  in  excess  of  15  per  hour. 

The  re-centered  shell  is  then  placed  in  a  Boy  &  Emmes  Lathe  and  a 
straight  taper  from  4.9  in.  to  4.6  in.  in  diameter,  5}4  in.  long,  taken  on 
the  open  end  of  the  shell  preparatory  to  the  nosing-in  operation.  The 
required  production  per  lathe  is  7.5  per  hour  but  10  per  hour  have  been 
produced.     The  shell  is  driven  by  an  air  chuck,  as  in  operation  7,  but 


504 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


only  one  tool  is  used,  care  being  taken  to  see  that  the  chuck  turns  cen- 
trally and  that  an  even  thickness  of  metal  is  left. 

The  nosing-in  is  preceded  by  a  thorough  inspection  of  shells  as  to  their 
concentricity  and  thickness  of  walls  and  to  determine  whether  they  run 
true  when  revolved.  Rough  spots  on  the  inside,  which  might  interfere 
with  the  proper  closing  of  the  nose,  are  removed  by  means  of  a  portable 
electric  grinder.  Though  thorough,  this  inspection  does  not  consume 
much  time,  one  inspector  passing  as  many  as  35  shells  in  an  hour.  A 
view  of  the  inspection  table  is  shown  in  Fig.  389. 


1 

N=5».fS»-''^'' 

i 

1                    -«iafe. 

m 

i 

FIG.  389.     inspector's  bench 

The  inspected  shells  are  then  placed  in  a  7-hole  Tate- Jones  Furnace 
and  about  8  in.  of  the  open  end  of  the  shell  brought  to  the  proper  condi- 
tion of  heat  for  working  under  the  hammer.  The  heated  shells  are 
placed  in  the  holding  chuck  of  a  400-lb.  Beaudry  Hammer  (see  Fig.  390) 
and  the  heated  end  hammered  into  required  form.  The  hammer  dies 
are  of  forged  steel  and  stand  up  well  under  the  work,  as  all  surplus  metal 
has  previously  been  removed  from  the  shells.  The  nosed-in  shells  are 
allowed  to  cool  off  naturally.  Two  men  are  employed  on  this  operation, 
one  to  run  the  hammer  and  the  other  to  take  the  shells  to  the  cooling 
ground.     They  can  handle  as  many  as  300  shells  in  10  hours. 

Forming  the  nose  about  closes  the  shell  so  the  first  operation  follow- 


Chap.  XI]         FRENCH  120-MILLIMETER  EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


505 


ing  the  nosing-in  consists  in  rough-boring  the  nose  and  facing  the  nose 
end  to  length.  Both  of  these  tasks  are  performed  on  a  24-in.  drill  press, 
the  boring  with  a  13^-in.  high-speed  drill  and  the  facing  with  a  high- 
speed steel  facing  cutter.  From  5  to  7  min.  are  required  for  the  drill- 
ing and  3  to  5  min.  for  the  facing,  the  production  being  from  5  to  7.5 
shells  per  hour. 

The  chips  which  fell  into  the  shell  while  boring  the  nose  are  then 
washed  out  and  the  shells  tested  for  volume.     This  test  is  found  to  be  of 


FIG.    390.       TATE-JONES    CO.    FURNACE    AND    400-LB.    BEAUDRY    HAMMER 


considerable  assistance  in  arriving  at  the  correct  weight  of  shell,  for  if  the 
volume  is  correct  and  the  outside  of  the  shell  is  subsequently  finished  to 
correct  proportions,  the  weight  of  the  finished  shell  will  be  uniform  and 
correct. 

An  ingenious  gage  employed  for  making  such  volumetric  test  is 
shown  in  Fig.  391.  To  conduct  the  test,  1.610  Hters  of  water  are  poured 
into  the  shell  and  then  the  gage  plug,  through  which  passes  a  Ke-in. 
hole,  inserted  into  the  shell  nose.  The  gage  rod  is  pressed  down  until 
water  issues  from  the  hole  in  the  plug.  Two  marks  on  the  gage  rod 
indicate  the  minimum  and  maximum  allowable  shell  contents,  corre- 
sponding to  a  tolerance  of  30  cu.  cm.  in  volume,  and  for  correct  volu- 


506 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


metric  measure  water  should  issue  from  the  '^{Q-in.  hole  while  the  top 
of  the  gage  plug  is  between  the  minimum  and  maximum  lines  on  the  rod. 
The  volume  is  too  great,  when  water  does  not  issue  from  the  hole  before 
the  maximum  mark  is  below  the  gage  plug,  these  shells  are  returned  to 
the  hammer  and  nosed-in  further.  The  volume  is  insufficient,  when 
water  issues  before  the  minimum  mark  has  reached  the  gage  plug, 
these  shells  are  returned  to  a  lathe  and  metal  removed  from  the  inside 
of  the  neck.     One  inspector  can  test  about  30  shells  in  an  hour. 

From  the  inspector's  bench,  the  shells  go  direct  to  the  heat  treating 
department  (see  Fig.  392)  for  the  heat-treatment,  quenching  and  drawing 

operations.  For  the  heat,  the  shells  are  placed 
in  a  furnace,  16  at  a  time,  and  allowed  to  re- 
main about  30  minutes.  The  heating  furnace 
is  kept  at  a  temperature  of  1,800  deg.  F. 
From  this  furnace,  the  shells  are  taken  immedi- 
ately to  a  needle  bath  for  quenching.  This 
must  be  done  quickly  to  avoid  air  cooling.  A 
detail  of  the  needle  bath  is  shown  in  Fig.  393. 
The  shells  are  sprayed  inside  and  out  until 
they  are  cold. 

The  cold  shells  are  then  placed  in  a  draw- 
ing furnace  and  subjected  to  a  temperature  of 
1,000  deg.  F.  for  20  minutes.  At  the  expira- 
tion of  such  time  the  shells  are  removed  to  a 
sheltered,  sanded  floor,  no  two  shells  being  al- 
lowed to  come  in  contact,  and  there  allowed 
to  cool  off  gradually. 

About  15  shells  pass  through  the  heat  treat- 
ing department  in  an  hour  and  two  men  are  re- 
quired to  run  the  furnaces  and  do  the  quenching. 
On  cooling  off,  the  shells  are  presumably  of  the  correct  hardness  but 
this  is  verified  by  a  test  in  a  Brinell  Ball  Testing  Machine — see  Fig.  394. 
The  test  is  made  at  a  point  about  5  in.  from  the  base  of  the  shell  and  lasts 
about  30  seconds.  During  this  time,  the  indentation  of  the  10-milli- 
meter ball,  under  3,000  kilo  pressure,  should  measure  between  3.5  and 
4.1  mm.  in  order  that  the  shell  may  pass  inspection.  Shells  which  do 
not  show  the  minimum  indentation  must  be  redrawn,  and  those  in 
which  the  ball  sinks  in  deeper  than  measured  by  the  4.1-mm.  diameter 
must  be  hardened  and  again  drawn.  One  operator  can  handle  about  30 
shells  per  hour. 

The  shells  are  then  returned  to  the  pickling  house  and  subjected  to  a 
treatment  very  similar  to  that  accorded  the  rough  forgings  in  operation 
2.  In  this  case,  however,  the  shells  are  first  filled  with  the  dilute  sulphuric 
acid  solution  and  then  placed  in  the  vat  in  an  upright  position  in  order 


VOLUMETRIC 
GAGE 


Chap.  XI]         FRENCH  120-MILLIMETER  EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  507 

that  no  air  may  be  trapped  in  the  shell.  The  shells  remain  in  the  sul- 
phuric acid  for  about  30  minutes,  or  until  all  scale  has  been  removed  from 
the  inside.  After  rinsing  and  washing,  the  shells  are  dried  and  then 
greased  on  the  inside  to  guard  against  rusting  in  storage.  The  pickling 
of  the  nosed-in  shells  is  carried  on  while  rough  forgings  are  being  simi- 
larly treated  and  is  much  more  expeditiously  conducted.  The  rough 
forgings  weigh  in  the  neighborhood  of  70  lb.  and  require  two  men  for 
handhng,  while  the  heat-treated  shells  only  weigh  about  45  lb.  and  can  be 
easily  handled  by  one  man. 


FIG.    392.      HEAT   TREATING   DEPARTMENT 

The  next  operation  on  the  shell,  the  twenty-first,  consists  in  finish- 
boring  and  tapping  the  nose  on  a  turret  lathe.  The  shell  is  driven  in  a 
deep  chuck  similar  to  the  one  used  in  facing  the  base  in  operation  9, 
the  nose  protruding  from  the  chuck  in  this  case  instead  of  the  base  of  the 
shell.  The  turret  carries  three  boring  bars  and  two  Murchey  taps.  The 
shell  is  first  rough-bored  with  a  single  cutter,  then  rough-bored  with  a 
double  headed  cutter  and  finish-bored  with  a  double-sided  cutter.  One 
Murchey  tap  then  roughs  out  the  thread  and  is  followed  by  the  second 
tap.  This  operation  ordinarily  consumes  about  12  min.  but  60  shells 
have  been  bored  and  tapped  in  10  hours. 


508 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


The  shells  are  then  transferred  to  a  24-in.  drill  press  where  the  tapped 
nose  is  brought  up  to  rough  size  with  the  passage  of  one  tap.  This  simple 
operation  consumes  about  3  min. 

The  base  of  the  shells  are  next  faced  off  to  bottom  thickness.  This 
is  done  on  an  engine  lathe,  the  shell  being  mounted  on  and  driven  by  a 
screw  arbor  and  supported  in  a  steadyrest.  This  takes  about  12  min. 
Accurate  gaging  of  bottom  thickness  forms  a  part  of  this  operation. 

The  next  step  is  thoroughly  to  wash  the  shells  by  first  immersing  them 
in  hot  soda  water  and  then  rinsing  in  clear  water. 


I  Hose 


Jap  for. 
l'i"Pipe 


Packing 


\ 

1  ■  -i^  1 

:-ai 

10  Steel  Pipe,  20  long 
12"  "      "     /8f  « 

FIG.    393.       DETAIL    OF   NEEDLE  BATH       FIG.    394.      BRINELL  BALL  TESTING   MACHINE 

A  hard  steel  center  plug  is  screwed  firmly  into  the  nose,  careful  inspec- 
tion of  the  shell  for  imperfect  threads  being  made  before  this  is  done. 
Shells  with  defective  or  broken  threads  are  returned  to  the  blacksmith 
and  re-nosed  sufficiently  to  allow  correction  of  the  fault. 

The  plugged  shell  is  then  placed  in  a  24-in.  American  Lathe  and  the 
body  turned  with  two  tools,  one  in  back  and  one  in  front.  The  produc- 
tion required  per  machine  for  this  twenty-seventh  operation  is  6  per  hour, 
but  as  high  as  106  shells  have  been  body  turned  in  10  hours. 

The  bottom  taper  and  the  nose  of  the  shell  are  turned  and  finished 
in  the  next  four  operations,  a  roughing  and  finishing  cut  constituting  the 


Chap.  XI]         FRENCH  120-MILLIMETER  EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  509 

two  operations  for  each  end  of  the  shelL  These  are  done  on  24-in. 
American  Lathes,  suitable  profile  plates  being  employed  for  each  opera- 
tion. Rough- turning  the  taper  is  done  with  a  flat  tool  and  consumes 
about  ly^  ^in.  on  the  average.  Finish  turning  the  taper  consumes 
about  the  same  amount  of  time,  while  the  rough-turning  and  finish- 
turning  of  the  nose  each  occupy  about  12  min.  High  records  for  the 
four  operations  are:  rough-turning  taper,  15  per  hour;  finish-turning 
taper,  20  per  hour;  rough-turning  nose,  8.5  per  hour;  and  finish-turning 
nose,  15  per  hour. 

The  thirty-first  operation  consists  in  forming  the  band  groove  and 
though  performed  on  a  turret  lathe  requires  but  three  tools  for  four  sub- 
operations:  one  tool  for  both  grooving  and  undercutting,  one  tool  for 
scoring  and  one  for  knurling.  The  resulting  groove  has  seven  rounded 
scores  circling  the  shell  and  a  series  of  sharp-pointed  knurled  ridges 
running  lengthwise  on  the  shell.  The  band  grooves  are  finished  at  a  rate 
of  from  12  to  26  per  hour. 

The  next  two  operations  consist  in  grinding  the  shoulder  for  one  and 
grinding  the  taper  and  the  section  from  the  back  of  the  band  to  the  com- 
mencement of  the  taper  for  the  other.  This  work  is  done  on  24-in. 
Modern  grinders,  the  average  time  required  for  either  operation  being 
about  the  same — i.e.,  5  min.  per  shell.  For  high  productions,  grinding 
the  shoulder  leads,  26  per  hour  against  20  per  hour  for  grinding  the 
taper  and  behind  the  band. 

Following  the  grinding  operations,  the  shell  is  placed  in  a  24  in. 
American  Lathe  and  the  body  finish-turned  to  4.665  in.  in  diameter. 
This  consumes  about  6  min.  per  shell. 

A  preliminary  weighing  of  the  shell  is  then  made  and  if  found  excess- 
ively heavy  it  is  returned  to  the  profile  lathe  used  for  operation  29  where 
it  is  retouched  for  weight.  This  constitutes  the  thirty-sixth  operation 
and  is  only  required  for  such  shells  as  are  unusually  heavy. 

The  center  plug  is  next  removed  and  the  teat  protruding  from  the 
base  then  cut  off  with  a  power  hack-saw.  Removing  the  teat  in  this 
manner  leaves  a  slight  stub  which  is  ground  off  with  a  Besley  Ring 
Grinder,  the  time  consumed  in  removing  the  teat  and  grinding  off  the 
stub  being  about  4  min. 

Inasmuch  as  practically  all  the  shells  are  slightly  scarred  on  the  nose 
face  at  this  stage  of  development,  another  minor  operation  is  here  intro- 
duced, consisting  of  re-facing  the  nose  so  that  a  tight  connection  may  be 
made  for  the  following  hydraulic  pressure  test. 

This  pressure  test  is  made  in  the  presence  of  the  French  inspector 
and  consists  in  subjecting  the  shell  to  15,700-lb.  hydraulic  pressure  for 
30  seconds.  The  shells  are  first  filled  with  water,  the  sealing  gasket 
inserted  in  the  nose  and  the  shell  then  connected  under  the  yoke  of 
a  hydraulic  press  built  by  the  Cleveland  Tool  &  Supply  Co. — see  Fig. 


510 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  II 


395.  A  permanent  expansion  of  0.004  in.  is  allowed  but  even  this  is 
very  seldom,  if  ever,  encountered,  slightly  defective  shells  being  more 
apt  to  burst  under  the  strain  and  those  which  are  correct  in  proportions 
showing  no  permanent  expansion.  The  capacity  of  this  machine  is 
about  25  shells  per  hour.     Tested  shells  receive  the  inspector's  stamp. 


FIG.    395.      THE   HYDRAULIC   PRESSURE   TEST 


The  copper  band  is  then  pressed  into  the  knurled  groove  by  a  West 
Tire  Setter,  three  squeezes  at  1,500  lb.  per  sq.  in.  being  given  each  shell. 
One  operator  can  band  500  shells  in  10  hours. 

The  forty-second  operation  consists  in  hand  tapping  the  nose  to  size, 
the  sealing  gasket  in  the  hydraulic  test  having  slightly  damaged  the  top 
of  the  threads.  The  shell  is  rigidly  held  in  a  work  holder  and  an  air  tap 
employed.     Two  men  can  tap  125  shells  in  10  hours. 

The  final  machining  operation  on  the  shell,  the  forty-third  in  the 


Chap.  XI]         FRENCH  120-MILLIMETER  EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


511 


evolution  of  the  shell,  is  done  on  an  engine  lathe  with  two  tools  in  5 
sub-operations  and  consists  in  turning  the  copper  band.  The  shell  is 
held  in  a  deep  collet  chuck  and  a  roughing  cut  over  the  width  of  the 
band  is  first  taken,  followed  by  a  finishing  cut  which  leaves  the  diameter 
of  the  band  just  under  123  mm.  A  45-deg.  taper  is  then  turned  on  the 
front  edge  of  the  band  until  the  edge  of  the  groove  is  located.  The 
back  edge  of  the  band  is  then  faced  to  width  and  the  secondary  taper  cut 
on  the  forward  section  of  the  band  leaving  the  flat  section  10  mm.  wide. 


FIG.    396.      TESTING  SHELLS  FOR  ECCENTRICITY  AND  WEIGHT 


The  time  allowed  for  this  operation  is  5  minutes  but  the  work  has  been 
done  at  the  rate  of  300  shells  in  10  hours. 

The  finished  shells  are  carefully  washed  in  soda  water  and  thoroughly 
cleaned  with  a  brush  and  rags  preparatory  to  the  final  gaging.  This 
examination  is  most  thorough,  consisting  of  gaging  the  shell  for  all  dimen- 
sions, inspection  of  threads,  etc.  For  any  irregularity,  the  shell  is 
returned  for  correction  to  the  operator  whose  work  offends. 

The  shells  which  satisfactorily  pass  the  gaging  test,  and  they  nearly 
all  do,  are  then  sent  to  the  head  inspector's  bench  for  the  forty-sixth 
operation,  where  they  are  inspected  for  thickness  of  bottom,  diameter  of 
barrel,  diameter  of  base,  interior  defects,  contour  of  nose  and  the  nose 


512 


HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


[Sec.  11 


thread  plug-gaged  a  second  time.  The  shells  are  also  tested  for  eccen- 
tricity and  weighed — see  Fig.  396.  The  correct  weight  is  15.575  kg. 
plus  or  minus  0.160  kg. 

The  eccentricity  test  is  performed  with  the  aid  of  the  brass  '^  eccen- 
tricity weight"  shown  in  Fig.  397  and  two  perfectly  level  and  parallel 
hardened  steel  bars.  The  shell  is  first  laid  across  the  parallel  bars  and 
allowed  to  come  to  rest,  when  its  center  of  gravity,  if  the  shell  is  not 
exactly  concentric  with  its  gravity  axis,  will  lie  below  the  longitudinal 
axis  of  the  shell.  The  ''eccentricity  weight"  is  then  clamped  to  the  base 
of  the  shell  with  its  weighed  end  up,  that  is,  opposite  the  heavy  side  of 
the  shell,  and  is  then  adjusted  by  moving  its  weight  up  or  down  so  that 
its  center  of  gravity  is  15  mm.  off  the  center  axis  of  the  shell,  toward  the 
weighted  end  of  the  ''eccentricity  weight."     The  shell  is  then  rolled  on 


;;->k|#-k-|'>l<-/^-4|t 


Brass:, 

Ai 


^K-~'->i        /'ToolSfeeUaw,  lx{xlj  long 


Wighfj'iDiam./ilc 
__^%Pin,Z{long 


Pin  A,  ^  Diam.,  Z^  long-,  -j^  Spring,  ^  long 

FIG.    397.      ECCENTRICITY  WEIGHT 

the  parallel  bars  until  the  "eccentricity  weight"  is  in  a  horizontal  posi- 
tion, then  released.  If  the  shell  remains  stationary  or  the  weighted  end 
of  the  "eccentricity  weight"  rises,  the  eccentricity  of  the  gravity  axis 
of  the  shell  equals  or  exceeds  the  tolerance  of  0.6  mm.;  if  the  weighted 
end  of  the  "eccentricity  weight"  drops  the  tolerance  is  not  exceeded  and 
the  shell  is  satisfactory  as  far  as  the  distribution  of  its  weight  about  its 
longitudinal  axis  is  concerned. 

The  center  of  gravity  is  then  located  by  balancing  the  shell,  longi- 
tudinally, upon  knife  edges  and  measuring  the  distance  from  the  normal 
plane  of  the  center  of  gravity  to  the  base  of  the  shell.  The  fixture  shown 
in  Fig.  398  is  used  for  this  purpose.  The  shell  is  carefully  balanced  on 
the  knife  edges  of  the  J^-in.  balance  plate  and  the  adjustable  square 
brought  up  against  the  base  of  the  shell,  the  scale  of  the  square  accurately 
measuring  the  distance  of  the  center  of  gravity  from  the  base  of  the  shell. 
A  tolerance  of  but  0.1969  in.,  5  mm.,  either  way  is  all  that  is  allowed. 


Chap.  XI]         FRENCH  120-MILLIMETER  EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


513 


Locating  the  gravity  axis  of  the  shell  and  also  balancing  for  the  center 
of  gravity  are  shown  in  Fig.  396.  The  order  in  which  these  sub-opera- 
tions are  performed  can  be  reversed,  of  course;  i.e.,  the  shell  may  first  be 
balanced  on  the  knife  edges  and  the  eccentricity  of  the  longitudinal 
gravity  axis  found  subsequently,  or  vice  versa. 

The  15-mm.  offset  of  the  center  of  gravity  of  the  "eccentricity  weight" 
is  arrived  at  by  direct  proportion.  The  weight  of  the  completed  shell  is 
15.575  kg.  and  the  maximum  eccentricity  allowance  of  the  gravity  axis 
of  the  shell  is  0.6  mm.,  giving  a  9,345  mm.  gram  moment  (15,575X0.6). 
This  moment  divided  by  the  weight  of  the  ''eccentricity  weight,"  600 
grams,  gives  the  offset  of  the  center  of  gravity  of  the  testing  device  re- 
quired to  balance  the  9,345  mm.  gram  moment   (9,345  X)^oo  =  15-565 


h— z'-->l<|>l<— 2->l 


FIG.    398.      DETAIL   OF  BALANCING   FIXTURE 


mm.) — that  is,  as  regards  the  gravity  axis  of  the  shell.  This  necessary 
offset  is  taken  as  15  mm.  in  order  to  be  on  the  safe  side. 

The  shells  are  then  presented  in  lots  of  500  to  the  French  inspector 
who  selects  25  from  the  lot  and  goes  over  them  for  all  measurements, 
weights,  eccentricity,  etc.  If  he  finds  the  25  all  acceptable  he  passes  the 
balance  of  the  500  and  affixes  his  stamp  on  the  nose  of  each  shell. 

The  shells  are  then  stamped  with  the  manufacturer's  symbol,  the 
lot  number  and  the  year.  The  stamps  are  made  on  the  nose  of  the  shell, 
halfway  between  the  shoulder  and  the  end  of  the  shell,  and  also  in  an  arc 
of  a  circle  on  the  base  of  the  shell,  midway  between  the  center  and  outer 
circumference.  Two  men,  with  the  aid  of  a  stencil  plate,  can  mark  about 
500  shells  in  7J^  hours. 

The  shells  are  then  greased  on  the  inside  with  vaseline  and  on  the 

33 


514  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS  [Sec.  II 

outside  with  a  mixture  of  white  zinc,  tallow  and  oil,  two  men  doing  the 
work  of  greasing  500  shells  in  about  10  hours. 

The  fiftieth  operation  consists  simply  in  driving  a  wooden  plug  into 
the  nose  of  the  shell  to  keep  out  foreign  matter.  The  shells  are  then 
packed  in  substantial  wooden  boxes.  They  are  laid  flat,  nose  and  tail, 
four  to  the  box,  separated  from  one  another  by  strips  of  wood  extending 
the  full  length  of  the  box.  The  cover  is  securely  screwed  down,  the  boxes 
being  proportioned  so  that  there  is  no  possibility  of  the  contents  shifting. 
An  endless  rope  passing  under  the  box  and  cleated  to  its  sides  forms 
handles  by  which  two  men  can  easily  carry  a  loaded  box.  Three  men 
can  box  about  500  shells  in  10  hours. 

The  loaded  boxes  are  then  transferred  to  a  departing  freight  car, 
which,  by  two  men  and  a  truck,  can  be  loaded  with  1,000  shells  in  10 
hours.     This  constitutes  the  fifty-second  and  final  operation. 


SECTION  III 

CARTRIDGE  CASES 

By 

Robert  Mawson 

Page 

CHAPTER  I.      Manufacture  of  Cartridge  Brass 517 

CHAPTER  II.    Making  1-Lb.  Cartridge  Cases 536 

CHAPTER  III.  Making  the  18-Lb.  Cartridge  Case 555 

CHAPTER  IV.   Making  tbe  4.5-In.  Howitzer  Cartridge  Case 595 


515 


CHAPTER  I 

MANUFACTURE  OF  CARTRIDGE  BRASS  ^—ROLLING 
CARTRIDGE  BRASS^ 

The  characteristics  of  cartridge  brass,  chemical,  physical  and  thermal, 
are  of  the  utmost  importance,  for  the  efficiency  of  a  gun  depends  in  large 
part  upon  the  behavior  of  the  cartridge  case  at  moment  of  discharge,  the 
ease  and  rapidity  with  which  it  can  be  ejected,  etc.  These  requirements 
call  for  extreme  care  in  the  manufacture  of  the  cartridge  cases  from  the 
blank,  but  of  just  as  great  if  not  even  greater  importance  is  the  necessity 
that  the  bars  from  the  casting  shop  should  be  homogeneous,  compara- 
tively free  from  all  impurities,  and  of  uniform  composition — i.e.,  of 
definite  chemical  analysis. 

Cartridge  brass  should  analyze  about  70  per  cent,  copper  and  30  per 
cent,  spelter,  though  a  variation  of  plus  or  minus  1  or  2  per  cent,  is  usually 
allowed.  The  principal  requirements  of  the  average  specifications  are  as 
follows : 

AVERAGE  SPECIFICATIONS  FOR  CARTRIDGE  BRASS 

1.  Quality  of  Metals. — Pure  electrolytic  or  pure  lake  copper  and  "Horsehead" 
spelter,  or  its  equivalent. 

2.  Impurities  Allowable. — In  copper:  not  to  exceed  0.03  per  cent.  In  spelter 
(maximum):  lead,  0.03  per  cent.;  iron,  0.04  per  cent.;  cadmium,  0.20  per  cent.;  total 
not  over  0.25  per  cent. 

3.  Scrap  Allowable. — 50  to  60  per  cent,  of  scrap  brass,  consisting  of  scrap  from 
blanking  press,  overhauling  machines  and  shears. 

No  foreign  scrap,  skimmings  or  scrap  from  floor  and  mold  pits  allowed. 

4.  Chemical  Analysis,  Finished  Metal. — Coppei,  67  to  71  per  cent.  Spelter, 
33  to  29  per  cent.  Impurities,  (average),  0.2  to  0.4  per  cent.  Arsenic,  phosphorus 
and  cadmium  from  0.04  to  0.08  per  cent. 

5.  Physical  Tests. — Breaking  lead:  (Min.)  40,000  to  44,000  lb.  per  sq.  in., 
(Max.)  48,000  to  50,000  lb.  per  sq.  in. 

Elongation:  (Min.)  50  to  62  per  cent.  Cupping  Test — Advisable  but  not  always 
specified. 

6.  Variations  in  Dimensions  of  Finished  Blanks. — In  diameter,  plus  or  minus 
0.005  in.  to  plus  or  minus  0.015  in. 

In  thickness,  plus  or  minus  0.003  in.  to  plus  or  minus  0.007  in. 

7.  Inspection. — 100  per  cent,  visual  examination  for  flaws,  folding  cracks  and 
other  defects  in  the  surface  and  for  pipes  and  cracks  in  the  edge  of  the  blank. 

8.  Purchaser's  Reservation. — Right  to  take  samples  and  make  chemical 
analysis  of  metals  in  stock,  to  check  for  conformity  with  specifications,  etc. 

In  addition  to  the  foregoing,  other  clauses  are  usually  inserted  in  the 
specifications  covering  number  of  rehandlings  allowed  on  rejected  materials, 

1 C.  R.  Barton. 

517 


518 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


[Sec.  Ill 


Railroad  Track 


-+■• 


-20- 


FIG. 


JL. 

399. 


JooooooooobSooooooS 


S3 


lii 


PLAN  AND   SECTION  OF  CASTING  SHOP 


Table  of  Equipment  for  One  Set  of  Ten  Furnaces^ 


Name  of  Article 


Number  Re- 
quired 


Life  in  Heats, 

Each 


Weight,  Lb., 
Each 


Cost,  Each 


Crucible  tongs 

Spelter  tongs 

Stirring-rod  tongs 

Band  tongs 

Mold  tongs 

Bar  tongs 

Skimmer 

Scrapers   

Punch  bars,  7  ft.  of  1-in.  round 

iron 

Chisel,  %-in.  hexagon  flat,  14  in 

long 

Files,  18-in.  bastard-cut  mill.  .  .  . 
Hammers,  6-lb.  crosspeen  black 

smiths',  12-in.  handle 

Fuel  cover    

Wire  brushes 

Charcoal  box,  wooden,  4  X4  X3  ft. 
Oil  pail,  heavy  2-qt.  bucket . . . 
Oil  brushes,  4-in.  flat  paint. .  .  . 
Salt  pail,  heavy  4-qt.  bucket .  . 

Molds 

Bands 

Wedges 

Strainers 


1 
2 

3 
1 
3 
1 
1 
2 
1 

20 

60 

100 

20 


7,000 

800 

2,500 

Indefinite 

Indefinite 

7,000 

35 

Indefinite 


Indefinite 
■  10,000 


2,000 
200 
3,000 
Indefinite 


55 
12 
13 
6 
9 
6 
5 
4 


20 


450 

25 

5 

27 


$6.00 
1.25 
1.25 


0.20 


Per  Lb. 
0.05 
0.05 
0.03 
0.03 


^  The  figures  are  approximate,  as  in  some  instances  they  are  based  on  estimate 
only. 


Chap.  I] 


MANUFACTURE   OF   CARTRIDGE   BRASS 


519 


size  of  lots  submitted  for  inspection,  micro-photography  and  the  manu- 
facture of  selected  disks  into  cartridge  cases  for  the  development  of 
interior  flaws  or  defects  not  shown  by  visual  examination. 

Layout  and  Equipment  of  a  Plant. — A  typical  layout  of  a  casting  shop, 
the  department  which  covers  the  work  from  receipt  of  copper  and 
spelter  to  delivery  of  sheared  bars  to  the  rolling  department,  is  shown 
in  Fig.  399.  The  unit  of  equipment  is  known  as  a  set  of  fires,  generally 
consisting  of  10  furnaces  and  the  necessary  auxiliary  equipment — see  ac- 
companying table  of  equipment.  Each  set  of  fires  (Fig.  399  shows  four) 
is  handled  bj^  one  caster  and  his  helpers,  and  occupies  a  space  of  10 
furnaces.  The  pots  are  lifted  from  the  furnaces  by  a  jib  crane  which 
carries  them  to  the  molds  in  the  mold  pits. 

The  Furnace. — A  furnace  proportioned  for  handling  a  No.  90  crucible, 
13%-in.  outside  diameter,  is  shown  in  Fig.  400.  The  furnaces  are  made 
square  to  facilitate  grasping  the  crucibles.  Below  the  crucibles,  the 
furnaces  should  be  deep  enough  to  permit  maintaining,  when  the  bottom 


FIG.    400.      TYPICAL   SQUAEE    PIT   CRUCIBLE   FURNACE 


of  the  flue  opening  is  above  the  top  of  the  crucible,  a  fire  of  at  least  12  in. 
in  depth,  in  order  that  the  pot  may  be  subjected  to  an  even  heat.  The 
furnace  should  be  bricked  up  so  that  but  one  course  of  brick  around  the 
inside  need  be  removed  when  the  furnaces  are  relined,  putting  in  only 
enough  tie-bricks  to  the  second  course  to  hold  the  lining.  The  life  of  the 
lining  varies  greatly  with  the  fuel  used,  coke  making  a  much  hotter 
fire  than  coal.  Operating  two  shifts  for  four  months  made  refining  neces- 
sary on  furnaces  burning  coke.  The  quaUty  of  firebrick  and  fuel  must 
be  considered  as  in  other  furnace  work.  The  grate  bars  are  1  in.  square, 
set  on  two  bearers,  such  as  a  piece  of  60-lb.  rail.  The  draft  may  be 
natural  or  induced.  A  forced-draft  system  does  not  give  satisfaction, 
as  it  rarely  balances,  thus  throwing  out  into  the  room  intense  heat, 
which  becomes  a  serious  consideration  in  hot  weather. 


520  CARTRIDGE  CASES  [Sec.  Ill 

The  ash  alley  should  be  of  a  cross-section  that  will  allow  easy  passage 
of  a  wheelbarrow  for  removing  the  ashes  when  cleaning  the  fires.  The 
coke  bin,  as  shown,  should  provide  storage  for  at  least  two  days'  require- 
ments, and  the  monorail  trolley  is  probably  the  simplest  means  for  filling 
the  bin  from  outside  storage. 

The  quickest  fire  is  not  always  the  most  desirable  in  the  long  run. 
Using  a  special  21-in.  square  furnace,  we  have  been  able  to  take  out  21 
heats  in  24  hr.,  including  cleaning  fires  twice.  This  is  during  cold 
weather;  but  it  is  doubtful  if  it  is  economical,  as  men  cannot  be  secured 
readily  who  will  stand  up  to  such  work,  and  the  life  of  the  crucible  is 
greatly  reduced.  We  believe  14  and  possibly  15  heats  per  24  hr.  in  win- 
ter a  good  production,  falling  off  to  10  or  12  in  warm  weather. 

There  are  other  styles  of  furnaces,  such  as  reverberatory  furnaces, 
the  Schwartz  furnace  and  the  type  known  as  the  tilting  furnace,  in  which 
the  crucible  is  tilted  for  pouring.  In  all  these  a  distributing  ladle  must 
be  used,  which  means  a  second  pouring  of  the  metal.  Repeated  installa- 
tions of  the  old-style  crucible  furnace,  replacing  some  of  the  foregoing, 
show  that  for  certain  classes  of  work  it  is  still  the  best  in  spite  of  the 
crucible  expense. 

Fuel. — Of  late  there  has  been  considerable  experimenting  with  various 
kinds  of  fuel.  The  plant  here  discussed  is  laid  out  for  burning  coke  or 
coke  and  coal.  Where  maximum  production  is  demanded,  that  method 
is  most  efficient  which  will  enable  the  greatest  number  of  heats  to  be 
obtained  from  one  furnace  in  a  given  time.  Hard  coal  is  probably  the 
slowest  fuel  used,  and  the  length  of  time  required  for  getting  out  a  heat 
is  the  only  objection  to  it,  as  in  other  respects  it  is  very  satisfactory. 
Coke  gives  a  much  hotter  and  therefore  faster  fire,  with  a  greatly  increased 
wear  on  the  furnace  lining.  Both  oil  and  natural  gas  would  seem  to 
be  desirable.  The  author  has  not  had  experience  with  oil-fired  furnaces. 
Twenty  of  the  furnaces  shown  were  equipped  for  burning  natural  gas, 
using  forced  draft.  Different  methods  for  venting  the  furnaces  were 
tried,  but  without  great  success.  The  heat  from  the  furnaces  was  such 
that  the  cover  brick  became  red  hot  and  conditions  were  made  intoler- 
able for  the  workmen.  We  do  not  believe  that  the  gas  fuel  was  given  a 
thorough  trial,  as  it  is  no  doubt  the  ideal  fuel  for  crucible  furnaces  and 
will  prove  successful  as  soon  as  it  has  been  put  through  an  experimental 
stage  in  a  large  plant,  where  furnaces  are  necessarily  set  close  together. 

The  fuel  consumption  varies  with  the  rate  of  production  and  the  size 
of  the  crucible  furnace.  No  exact  data  can  be  given;  the  most  reliable 
figures  indicate  from  0.4  to  0.6  lb.  of  coke  and  coal  (mixed)  per  pound 
of  metal  melted  during  a  period  of  several  months,  with  18-in.  round  and 
21-in.  square  furnaces. 

Molds. — The  molds  for  the  cartridge  brass  may  be  seen  in  Figs.  401 
and  402.     They  are  made  of  gray  iron  containing  2.5  silicon  and  finished 


Chap.  I] 


MANUFACTURE  OF  CARTRIDGE  BRASS 


521 


as  shown.  The  size  of  the  mold  is  determined  by  the  width  of  bar  re- 
quired and  the  weight,  which  should  be  such  that  one  pot  of  metal  will 
make  full-length  bars.  For  convenience  in  handling,  the  bars  are  usually 
made  from  80  to  125  lb.,  unless  the  size  of  the  finished  bar  or  sheet  re- 


m 


......4'-4f-— — -^^f^l^ 


■4'-7f. 


r  V 


op 


-8/^ 


k- 


-4-4-;^ - ^^^^^ 


FIG.    401-402.       MOLD    FRONT    AND   BACK 

quires  more  metal.  In  rolling,  the  metal  flows  almost  entirely  in  the 
direction  of  the  rolls,  so  that  if  bars  are  passed  through  straight,  there  is 
no  appreciable  widening.  Bars  are  cast  in  regular  work  up' to  15  in.  wide 
in  short  bars  and  up  to  10  and  12  ft.  long  in  narrow  bars.  It  is  always 
best  to  cast  the  bar  of  a  thickness  that  will  avoid  as  much  rolling  as 


Mold  V^edge 
FIG.    403.      MOLD  BANDED   FOR   POURING 


^^^i^^^iP 


possible,  and  the  %-in.  thick  bar  is  now  about  standard  size,  although 
13^-in.  bars  are  made  at  times. 

The  mold  is  held  together,  as  illustrated  in  Fig.  403,  by  three  bands 
wedged  up  tightly.  The  bands  and  wedges  should  be  made  of  first- 
quality  cast  steel,  if  the  use  of  expensive  forged  pieces  is  to  be  avoided. 


522 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


[Sec.  Ill 


The  order  and  manner  of  driving  the  wedge  are  shown  by  the  numbers. 
This  method  has  been  found  to  reduce  leakage. 

The  Hfe  of  a  mold  is  very  uncertain.  Some  few  foundries  make  a 
specialty  of  ingot  molds,  and  their  product  has  a  high  reputation.  One 
of  the  largest  brass  makers  in  this  country,  after  some  years  of  experiment 
and  experience,  found  that  the  molds  of  one  firm  gave  uniformly  50  per 
cent,  longer  life  than  any  other  make.  Molds  should  average  at  least 
2,000  to  2,500  heats. 

An  important  adjunct  of  the  mold  is  the  strainer.  Fig.  404.  In 
pouring,  the  strainer  should  be  kept  full,  so  that  the  slag  and  dirt  passing 
the  skimmer  will  not  enter  the  mold. 


I    I 


X-.Vu^  0 


-- ei- 


■4.fDrill 


t- 

-74-- 

-----fp 

\ 

-:i^: 

■::;r- " 

II    \-4- 


\^r?i?hv^ 


FIG.    404.      MOLD   STRAINER 


Tool  Equipment. — The  several  kinds  of  tongs  may  be  seen  in  Fig.  405. 
All  are  made  of  wrought  iron  by  the  blacksmith  shop  in  the  plant.  The 
most  important  are  the  crucible  tongs  for  handling  the  crucibles.  In 
forging,  these  tongs  should  be  shaped  to  a  cast-iron  crucible  of  the  same 
size  as  that  to  be  used.  Tongs  should  always  be  refitted  whenever  there 
is  a  change  in  either  the  make  or  the  size  of  the  crucible. 

Other  tongs  are  spelter  tongs  for  dipping  the  spelter  in  the  molten 
copper,  mold  tongs  for  lifting  the  fronts  and  backs  of  molds,  band  tongs 
for  handling  the  hot  bands,  stirring-rod  tongs  for  holding  the  graphite 
stirring  rods,  and  bar  tongs  for  lifting  the  hot  bars  from  the  pit  when  the 
molds  are  stripped.  These  different  kinds  are  illustrated  in  Fig.  405, 
and  the  weights,  number  required  and  other  data  are  given  in  the  table. 

The  remaining  equipment  includes  skimmers  for  skimming  the  pot 
when  it  is  lifted  from  the  fire  and  for  holding  back  slag  and  charcoal  that 
is  not  removed  by  skimming  when  pouring,  scrapers  for  scraping  the 
molds,  wire  brushes  for  cleaning  molds  after  scraping,  heavy  buckets 
for  mold  dressing,  powdered  charcoal  and  flux,  cheap  4-in.  flat  brushes  for 


Chap.  I] 


MANUFACTURE  OF  CARTRIDGE  BRASS 


523 


applying  mold  dressing,  sledges,  hammers,  etc.  Some  of  these  tools  may 
be  seen  in  Fig.  405,  and  other  data  are  given  in  the  table.  In  most 
cases  two  sets  of  tools  are  allowed  for  each  set  of  fires,  as  the  tongs  become 
too  hot  to  be  comfortably  handled  if  used  continuously. 


S+irrina  Rod  Tonos  Sih,  I "wde^ 


S+irring  Rod  Tongs 


Skimmer 


f  .-A^ 


vi^ 3'. 

Scraper 
FIG.    405.      A  VARIETY  OF  TONGS  USED   FOR  HANDLING  THE   WORK 


Crucibles. — Crucibles  are,  aside  from  losses,  the  greatest  single  item 
in  the  cost  of  producing  brass.  For  this  reason  many  attempts  have 
been  made  to  get  away  from  the  use  of  crucibles.  Long  experience  in 
crucible  making  shows  that  the  best  materials  are  Ceylon  graphite  and 
Klingenberg  crown  clay.  Ceylon  graphite  is  free  from  mica  and  is 
about  98  per  cent.  pure.  The  Klingenberg  clay  comes  from  a  small 
district  around  the  village  of  that  name  in  Germany.  The  materials 
are  blended  and  mixed  in  proper  proportions,  molded,  dried  and  burned  in 
a  kiln.  The  amount  of  excess  air  in  the  kiln  determines  whether  or  not 
the  graphite  is  burned  out  of  the  surface  of  the  crucible,  thus  making  the 
white  or  blue  crucible.     Obviously,  the  matter  of  color  is  of  no  importance, 


524  CARTRIDGE  CASES  Sec.  Ill 

although  manufacturers  are  called  upon  to  supply  crucibles  of  a. given 
color.     Crucibles  usually  contain  from  50  to  60  per  cent,  of  graphite. 

Crucibles  are  known  by  number,  each  unit  in  the  number  representing 
nominally  the  capacity  to  hold  3  lb.  of  molten  metal.  Therefore,  a  No. 
90  should  hold  270  lb.  service.  This  is  frequently  done  by  storing  them 
on  a  floor  on  top  of  the  muffle  furnaces  used  for  annealing  in  the  rolling 
mill.  A  careful  record  of  the  size  and  number  of  crucibles  given  to  the 
casters  should  be  kept. 

The  life  of  a  crucible  is  shortened  by  ill-fitting  tongs  by  excess  fluxes 
of  various  kinds,  by  soaking  in  the  fire  longer  than  necessary  to  melt  the 
metal,  by  too  high  furnace  temperatures  in  the  endeavor  to  get  quick 
heats,  by  wet  or  sulphurous  fuels  that  attack  the  outside  of  the  crucible, 
by  carelessness  in  stirring  the  metal  and  by  general  lack  of  care  in 
handling. 

In  the  employment  of  fluxes  such  as  fluorspar  and  various  silicates  a 
mean  must  be  determined  so  that  the  metal  will  be  purified  with  a  minimum 
erosion  of  the  crucible.  The  crucibles  should  be  thoroughly  dried  and 
annealed  for  two  of  three  weeks  before  being  put  into  the  brass.  About 
80  to  90  per  cent,  of  the  capacity  of  the  crucible  may  be  used,  depending 
on  the  care  of  the  caster. 

The  best  size  of  crucible  has  been  found  by  long  practice  to  be  the 
No.  80,  holding  a  charge  of  200  to  220  lb.  of  brass.  This  crucible  makes 
two  bars  of  convenient  size  in  narrow  metal  or  one  in  wide  metal.  It 
seems  to  have  a  somewhat  longer  life  than  larger  crucibles  and  therefore, 
striking  a  mean  between  labor  and  crucible  expense,  gives  the  lowest  cost 
of  production. 

Broken  crucibles  should  be  freed  of  any  metal  adhering  to  the  inside 
surface,  for  old  crucible  material  commands  a  market  price  of  from 
$10  to  $15  per  ton.  The  metal  chipped  from  the  crucibles  can  later  be 
reclaimed  with  the  ashes. 

Fluxes. — For  clean  scrap  and  new  metals  such  as  must  be  provided  in 
making  cartridge  brass,  phosphorus  and  common  salt  seem  to  give  the 
best  results.  The  phosphorus  is  in  the  form  of  15  per  cent,  phosphorized 
copper,  1  oz.  per  100  lb.  of  metal.  A  larger  quantity  may  be  used  if 
needed,  but  not  enough  to  give  a  perceptible  amount  of  phosphorus  in  the 
finished  metal.  Common  salt,  somewhat  finer  than  crude  rock  salt, 
should  be  added,  about  one  handful  per  100  lb.  of  metal.  Care  should 
be  taken  to  avoid  an  excess,  as  this  attacks  the  crucible. 

The  impurities  to  be  removed  are  mainly  copper  oxide,  sand  and  dirt. 
The  foreign  metals — tin,  iron  and  lead — cannot  be  removed,  and  none 
should  be  introduced  by  iron  stirring  rods,  brass  scrap  containing  lead, 
etc.  The  copper  oxide  forms  readily,  and  for  this  reason  the  melting 
metals  should  be  covered  with  powdered  charcoal  to  prevent  oxidation. 
Patent  fluxes  are  generally  to  be  avoided. 


Chap.  I] 


MANUFACTURE  OF  CARTRIDGE  BRASS 


525 


The  Scraproom. — The  scraproom  of  a  brass  manufacturing  plant  is 
the  department  at  which  the  new  metals  are  received  and  stored,  all 
scrap  received  and  weighed,  and  the  charges  for  each  heat  are  propor- 
tioned. In  Fig.  399,  it  is  shown  at  one  end  of  the  shop.  This  illustra- 
tion shows  the  usual  equipment  of  a  scraproom  and  Fig.  406  shows  one 
of  the  small  iron  pans,  the  tote  box,  in  which  the  charges  are  weighed 
and  carried  to  the  furnace. 


s^  - 

FIG.  406.   TOTE  BOX  AND  SHELTER-BREAKING  BLOCK 


Processes  of  Making  Cartridge  Brass. — The  first  operation,  starting 
each  day's  work,  is  to  clean  the  fires  by  pulling  out  the  grate  bars  and 
removing  the  ashes,  care  being  taken  to  punch  out  the  clinker  that  has 
formed  at  the  bottom,  as  this  sometimes  reduces  the  cross-section  of  the 
grate  to  one-third  its  actual  size.  A  fresh  fire  is  then  built,  which  in 
continuous  operation  is  usually  lighted  by  the  hot  bricks  in  the  furnace. 
As  the  fire  comes  up  to  heat,  the  crucible,  which  has  been  previously 
warmed  by  being  on  top  of  the  furnace,  is  placed  in  the  fire,  and  the 
heavier  metal  of  the  charge,  which  was  weighed  up  in  the  scraproom 
is  brought  out  on  the  casting  floor  and  set  behind  each  furnace.  The 
charge,  except  spelter,  is  there  laid  carefully  in  the  crucible,  care  being 
taken  that  the  metal  does  not  tend  to  wedge  the  pot  apart  during 
melting,  when  the  pot  becomes  soft.  Ordinarily,  a  ring  made  from  the 
upper  half  of  an  old  crucible  is  placed  on  top  of  the  crucible  to  hold  the 
scrap  and  copper  that  cannot  be  put  inside.  In  this  case  the  scrap  should 
be  put  in  the  bottom,  as  it  melts  faster  than  the  copper. 

After  all  the  metal  is  melted  and  up  to  a  bright  heat,  the  spelter, 
which  has  been  warmed  by  lying  on  the  furnace,  is  thrust  beneath  the 
surface  of  the  metal  and  is  rapidly  melted  and  alloyed  with  the  copper. 
The  brass  is  then  stirred  thoroughly  with  a  graphite  stirring  rod,  so  as 
to  secure  a  homogeneous  mixture.  The  graphite  stirring  rods  are  expen- 
sive, but  are  the  best  for  high-grade  brass,  as  iron  from  an  iron  stirring 


526  CARTRDIGE  CASES  [Sec.  Ill 

rod  will  alloy  with  the  brass  and  thus  increase  the  impurities.  During 
the  melting,  salt  and  powdered  charcoal  are  thrown  on  the  metal,  the 
charcoal  to  protect  the  molten  metal  from  the  atmosphere  and  the  salt 
to  act  as  a  flux.  After  a  vigorous  stirring,  the  metal  is  given  a  minute 
or  two  to  allow  the  impurities  and  dirt  to  come  to  the  surface  in  the  form 
of  slag.  The  crucible  tongs  are  then  placed  on  the  crucible,  which  is 
raised  from  the  furnace  by  means  of  the  jib  crane.  The  outside  surface 
of  the  crucible  is  cleaned,  and  it  is  then  lowered  on  clean  sand  on  the 
floor.  The  slag  is  skimmed  off  and  a  block  of  wood  thrown  on  the  clean 
surface  of  the  metal. 

The  crucible  is  then  raised  and  placed  over  the  strainer  on  the  mold 
and  poured,  tipping  the  crucible  forward  with  the  tongs,  keeping  back  the 
residue  of  slag  and  charcoal  with  the  skimmer. 

The  block  of  wood  in  burning  tends  to  keep  the  air  away  from  the 
metal  and  is  useful  in  reducing  the  amount  of  spelter  burned  out.  The 
strainer  should  be  kept  full  of  metal  so  that  the  slag  and  dirt  passing  the 
skimmer  remain  on  the  surface  and  do  not  enter  the  mold.  The  molds 
should  not  stand  slanting  sidewise,  as  there  is  a  possibility  that  impurities 
and  gas  pockets  will  lodge  in  the  corner  of  the  mold  instead  of  coming  to 
the  surface,  so  that  one  edge  of  the  bar  may  be  defective  for  the  entire 
length  of  the  mold. 

The  molds  are  prepared  by  scraping  with  the  scraper  and  brushing 
down  thoroughly  with  a  wire  brush,  after  which  they  are  painted  with 
lard  oil.  Many  substitutes  are  offered  as  a  mold  dressing,  but  lard  oil 
seems  to  secure  the  best  results.  The  molds  are  then  banded  and  wedged 
up  tight  and  are  ready  for  use,  the  strainer  being  placed  on  top.  After 
pouring,  the  metal  is  soon  chilled  sufficiently  to  allow  the  bands  to  be 
knocked  off  and  the  mold  opened.  The  bars  are  raised  with  the  bar  tongs, 
and  the  burrs  are  filed  off.  Then  the  bars  are  piled  on  the  floor  behind 
the  mold  pit  and  allowed  to  cool  until  they  can  be  handled  and  taken  to 
the  shears  in  the  scraproom. 

The  term  '' losses"  covers  the  difference  between  the  metal  weighed 
out  and  melted  and  the  total  metal  returned.  The  gross  loss  includes  the 
metal  in  the  ashes,  and  the  net  loss  is  that  determined  after  the  ashes  have 
been  put  through  the  recovery  plant  and  a  large  part  of  the  metal  in  the 
ashes  reclaimed.  The  net  loss  is  therefore  the  difference  between  metal 
melted  and  that  returned  from  all  sources. 

The  melting  loss  varies  with  the  type  of  furnace  used,  size  of  charge 
and  proportions  of  mixture.  On  cartridge  brass  under  the  conditions 
outlined  the  gross  loss  varies  from  3  to  5  per  cent.  No  figures  are 
available  for  the  net  loss,  but  in  other  plants  it  varies  from  1  to  3  per  cent. 

The  loss  represents  a  greater  money  value  than  the  profit  in  manu- 
facture and  therefore  should  be  given  the  most  careful  attention. 

Metal  spilled  in  handling  and  pouring  is  recovered  from  the  mold 


Chap.  I]  MANUFACTURE  OF  CARTRIDGE  BRASS  527 

pits  and  floor  each  day.  This  is  known  as  floor  scrap,  and  to  it  is  added 
the  soHd  metal  picked  from  the  skimmings  and  ashes,  which  contain  the 
metal  representing  the  difference  between  the  gross  and  the  net  losses. 
No  figures  are  available  to  give  proportion  by  weight  of  recoverable  metal 
in  the  ashes  in  the  plant  described,  but  it  has  been  found  by  other  firms  to 
run  from  0.25  to  0.5  per  cent,  by  weight  of  ashes. 

This  recovery  is  made  by  concentrating  and  refining  processes.  The 
quantity  of  ashes  is  not  sufficient  to  warrant  a  recovery  installation  in 
any  but  a  large  plant.  The  floor  scrap  may  be  melted  directly  with  the 
charge  in  small  quantities  or  remelted  and  sheared  before  using,  as  the 
quality  of  work  may  require.  Some  specifications  for  cartridge  brass 
permit  the  use  of  floor  scrap;  and  if  used  judiciously,  no  bad  effects  will 
be  noticed. 

In  addition  to  the  tools  and  equipment  mentioned  the  following 
materials  are  required  in  the  approximate  quantities  given,  which  are  the 
results  of  several  months'  operation: 

Coke 50  lb.  per  100  lb.  metal  melted 

Charcoal  (used  in  lighting  fires) 0.1  bu.  per  100  lb.  metal  melted 

Lard  oil  No.  2 0. 04  gal.  per  100  lb.  metal  melted 

Salt 0.25  lb.  per  100  lb.  metal  melted 

Phosphorized  copper    1  oz.  per  100  lb.  metal  melted 

Graphite  stirring  rods,  IJ^  X18  in.  long.  30  heats  each 

For  a  plant  having  40  furnaces,  or  four  sets  of  fires,  there  will  be 
required  4  casters,  16  to  20  casters'  helpers  and  4  laborers.  These  men 
will  be  able  to  produce  from  5  to  7  heats  from  each  furnace  in  about  9  hr. 
The  casters  are  paid  on  a  tonnage  basis  at  the  rate  of  17  to  20c.  per  100 
lb.  of  good  sheared  metal.  The  casters  pay  two  helpers  at  65c.  per 
round,  which  is  one  heat  from  each  of  the  two  furnaces  comprising  a  set 
of  fires.  The  firm  supplies  additional  helpers  at  the  same  rate,  giving 
three  men  if  special  circumstances  require  them.  A  better  arrangement 
is  to  pay  on  a  tonnage  basis  for  the  entire  crew  about  as  follows,  per  100 
lb.:  caster,  8c.;  floor  helpers,  5J^c.;  pit,  4J-^c. 

In  this  scheme  the  bars  are  marked  with  the  crew  number,  and  a  deduc- 
tion is  made  for  bars  scrapped  at  the  overhauling  machines  in  the  rolling 
mill,  as  metal  apparently  good  at  the  shears  may  be  poor  metal  when 
overhauled — that  is,  the  process  of  scraping  off  the  surface  metal,  dirt, 
etc.,  preparatory  to  rolling. 

The  scraproom  requires  about  10  men — 4  on  the  shears  and  6  on  the 
scales.     The  pay  of  these  men  runs  from  20  to  30c.  per  hr. 

The  direct  cost  for  producing  sheared  bars  ready  for  rolling  is  about 
J^c.  per  lb.  of  metal  melted,  divided  about  evenly  among  labor,  supplies, 
renewals,  etc.  To  this  figure  must  be  added  the  value  of  metals  lost  and 
burden.  These  items  may  vary  greatly.  The  distribution  of  metals 
between  weighed  charge  and  sheared  bars  is  as  follows : 


528  CARTRIDGE  CASES  [Sec.  Ill 

Per  Cent. 

Metal  weighed  out   , 100.00 

Net  loss,  volatilization,  etc 2 .  50 

Recovered  metal,  ashes   2 .  00 

Floor  scrap 5 .  00 

Shear  scrap 10 .  00 

Good  sheared  bars    80 .  50 

These  figures  represent  what  may  be  called  fair  to  good  operation,  but 
undoubtedly  offer  opportunities  for  further  economies.  The  importance 
of  accurate  records  will  be  appreciated  in  making  an  estimate.  Several 
of  the  most  necessary  are  shown. 

To  many  it  might  seem  that  the  crucible-furnace  method  of  making 
brass  is  antiquated  and  that  units  of  larger  capacity  should  be  used. 
But  segregation,  gas  occlusion,  rehandling  and  consequent  cooling  in 
ladles  and  higher  losses  are  still  disadvantages  of  the  large  furnace  that 
must  be  taken  into  consideration. 

ROLLING  CARTRIDGE  BRASS 

A  typical  layout  of  a  rolling  mill,  to  which  the  sheared  bars  from 
the  casting  shop  are  delivered,  is  shown  in  Fig.  407.  The  building 
should  be  well  ventilated,  of  mill  construction,  free  from  the  dirt  and 
dust-laden  air  of  the  other  parts  of  the  plant. 


SAFETY  PARTITION-, 


FIG.  407. 


■ZS2L-- 

PLAN  OF  ROLLING   MILL 


The  standard  size  of  rolls  for  heavy  metal  is  20  in.  diameter  by  30 
in.  face.  The  breaking  down  rolls  (mills)  are  run  at  about  14  r.p.m., 
approximately  73  ft.  per  minute,  and  the  finishing  rolls  at  18  r.p.m., 
about  94  ft.  per  minute.  These  mills  are  gear  driven  and  are  fitted  with 
positive  brakes  for  quick  stopping  in  case  of  accident.  Lubrication  of 
the  rolls  is  achieved  by  laying  a  swab  of  waste  covered  with  heavy  graph- 
ite grease  against  the  necks  of  the  rolls.  In  addition  a  cold  water  spray 
is  turned  against  the  necks  from  each  side  as  shown  in  Fig.  408. 


Chap.  I] 


MANUFACTURE  OF  CARTRIDGE  BRASS 


529 


Screw 


First  Rolling  Operation. — In  the  first  rolling  operation,  breaking 
down,  the  reduction  should  be  as  great  as  possible  without  making  the 
bar  too  long  for  the  table  of  the  overhauling  machine.  For  this  reason 
a  gage  stick  for  the  maximum  allowable  length  of  bar  is  kept  at  the  rolls 
and  the  reduction  varied,  so  that  the  full-length  sheared  bar  will  not  come 
too  long  and  all  bars  of  the  same  nominal  thickness  are  given  the  same 
reduction.  In  sticking  (entering  a  bar  in  the  rolls),  the  bottom  end  of 
the  bar  is  entered  first  as  it  will  be  square,  clean  and  free  from  oil,  which 
is  not  the  case  with  the  sheared  or  top 
end  of  the  bar.  The  presence  of  oil  will 
prevent  the  rolls  biting  on  the  bar  and 
occasionally  it  is  necessary  to  dust  char- 
coal on  the  sticking  end  of  the  bar  in 
order  to  make  it  enter.  A  dab  of 
kerosene  oil  is  placed  on  the  upper  side 
of  the  bar  a  few  inches  from  the  stick- 
ing end.  This  helps  to  lubricate  the 
rolls  and  tends  to  keep  the  metal  from 
turning  up.  After  breaking  down  the 
bars  are  ready  for  overhauling. 

At  times  bars  will  come  curved  and 
bent  in  some  direction,  will  gage  un- 
evenly or  not  finish  smoothly,  and 
patience  must  be  exercised  in  finding  the 
cause.  Some  of  the  troubles  may  be 
owing  to  bars  being  cast  in  old  or  im- 
properly made  molds,  and  therefore  be  of  uneven  thickness;  to  a  differ- 
ence in  diameter  of  the  rolls;  to  the  heating  of  the  necks  of  the  rolls; 
to  incorrect  height  of  the  bottom  guide  above  the  center  of  the  rolls;  to 
the  kind  of  lubricant  used  on  the  metal;  to  dust  and  dirt  in  the  atmos- 
phere; to  uneven  annealing;  to  improper  pickling;  to  unusual  variation 
in  chemical  composition  of  different  bars  or  within  the  same  bar,  or  other 
causes. 

The  fundamental  principles  to  be  remembered  in  any  consideration 
of  the  action  of  the  rolls  on  brass  bars  of  uniform  thickness  are  that  the 
rolls  spring  apart  in  proportion  to  the  total  pressure  exerted  on  the  metal; 
that  the  amount  the  metal  flows  or  the  bar  elongates  at  any  point  de- 
pends upon  the  pressure  the  rolls  exert  and  the  hardness  of  the  metal; 
that  the  metal  may  vary  in  hardness  owing  to  chemical  composition  and 
inequality  in  annealing  or  previous  working;  and  that,  theoretically,  the 
peripheral  velocity  of  both  upper  and  lower  rolls  should  be  the  same. 
In  addition,  a  further  consideration  is  that  bars  are  not  always  of  uni- 
form thickness  and  that  variations  in  thickness  may  occur  in  the  same 
bar.     From  these  facts  it  is  evident  that  unless  the  metal  is  uniform  and 

34 


'^ Bronze  Shoes  keyed  in 


FIG.  408.   METHOD  OF  KEEPING  THE 
BEARINGS  COOL 


530 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


[Sec.  Ill 


Cast  Steel  Back' 
plate  with  Hard 
^Brass  Point 


Fixecl  Bars 
in  Roll  Stand 


■Bar 


homogeneous  in  every  particular,  bars  will  tend  to  turn  up  or  down  in  the 
rolls,  hoop,  curve  or  bend,  and  it  is  in  handling  the  metal  with  usual  mill 
variations  from  uniformity  that  the  skill  of  the  roller  is  brought  into 
play. 

If  there  is  a  small  difference  in  the  diameter  of  the  rolls,  the  larger  roll 
should  be  placed  on  the  top  as  this  will  tend  to  turn  the  bar  down.     In 

breaking  down  it  is  difficult  to  set  the 
guides  so  that  all  the  bars  will  come 
straight  as  they  are  rolled  from  the 
rough,  and  therefore  it  is  the  usual 
practice  to  make  the  bars  turn  down. 
The  curve  in  the  sticking  end  of  the  bar 
will  be  determined  by  the  setting  of  the 
back  plate  as  shown  in  Fig.  409.  The 
back  plate  is  set  up  as  far  as  possible, 
care  being  taken  that  the  rolled  bar 
does  not  catch  and  tear  out  the  plate. 
This  back  plate  should  have  a  hard  brass 
wearing  plate  or  point.  The  front  guides  should  have  adjustable  bottom 
guides  of  bronze  so  that  the  metal  will  not  seize  or  tear.  The  side 
guides  may  be  of  cast  iron  or  steel  with  hard  steel  wearing  plates. 

Straightening  the  Bars. — Preliminary  to  overhauling,  the  bars  must 
be  straightened  so  that  they  will  lie  flat  on  the  table  of  the  overhauling 
machine.  The  straightening  is  done  with  a  set  of  rolls,  the  upper  and 
lower  rolls  being  staggered  as  shown  in  Fig.  410.  The  number  of  rolls 
required  depends  on  the  thickness  of  the  metal  and  degree  of  flatness 
required.  For  many  purposes  a  three-roll  straightener  is  satisfactory, 
but  several  passes  are  needed  to  bring  the  bars  flat.  The  principle  of 
straightening  is  to  curve  the  bar  in  one  direc- 


FIG.  409.      POSITION  OF  BACK  PLATE 


Adjusfment  of  Upper 
RollsrVtoHi' 


tion  on  the  first  pass,  turn  it  upside  down 
and  remove  the  curve  in  the  further  sue 
cessive  passes  required.  Obviously,  a  five-  or 
seven-roll  machine  is  simply  a  combination  of 
three-roll  straighteners  in  series,  and  the 
operation  may  be  done  in  one  pass  in  such  a 
machine.  The  rolls  are  set  to  remove  the 
greatest  kink  in  the  bars,  and  small  varia- 
tions in  thickness  have  no  effect  other  than 

increasing  the  driving  power  required.  Derived  from  some  experience 
with  two  different  types  of  machines,  the  following  points  should  be 
considered  in  selecting  a  straightener.  All  rolls  should  be  driven — that 
is,  no  idler  rolls;  rolls  should  be  as  small  in  diameter  as  possible  consistent 
with  strength  for  the  work  to  be  done,  rolls  should  be  set  on  close  centers 
horizontally — that  is,  within  3^  in.  of  the  diameter;  the  housings  should 


ei'Rolls^l'CtoC. 

FIG.  410.      DIAGRAM  OF  ROLL 
POSITIONS 


Chap.  1] 


MANUFACTURE  OF  CARTRIDGE  BRASS 


631 


532 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


[Sec.  Ill 


be  such  that  a  broken  roll  may  be  removed  and  replaced  without  tearing 
down  the  machine;  a  parallel  adjusting  device  should  be  attached  to  the 
adjusting  screws  so  that  the  rolls  may  be  set  parallel,  quickly  and  accu- 
rately; and  the  power  should  be  ample.  On  a  seven-roll  machine  with 
rolls  6;^  in.  in  diameter  on  7-in.  centers  about  20  hp.  was  required.  The 
speed  of  the  rolls  varies  from  40  to  70  ft.  per  min. 

Overhauling. — After  straightening,  the  bars  are  stacked  in  front  of 
the  overhauling  machines,  Fig.  411.  These  are  simply  light,  high-speed, 
draw-cut  shaping  machines  adapted  to  the  special  requirements  of  re- 
moving the  surface  metal  from  the  sides  of  the  bars.  The  tool  is  pro- 
vided with  a  cam  lift  for  the  reverse  stroke.     The  machines  run  at  200 


B^R 


TABLE 


Tool  Sf^ef, 
(Hardened) 


FIG.    412 


TYPE    OF   CLAMPS   USED 


r.p.m.  and  have  a  9-in.  stroke  of  which  about  7%  in.  is  effective,  the  loss 
being  due  to  the  cam  action.  The  table  slides  in  both  directions  hori- 
zontally on  rollers,  and  is  moved  by  hand.  The  entire  table  and  rails 
are  raised,  and  the  work  fed  to  the  tool,  by  a  foot  lever  that  enables  the 
operator  to  vary  the  pressure  against  a  stop  and  thus  obtain  a  slight 
variation  in  depth  of  cut.  The  metal  removed  is  from  0.020  in.  to  0.040 
in.  in  thickness.  The  tools  are  of  high-speed  steel  %Xl}/i  in.  in  section, 
and  are  held  in  a  special  holder. 

The  bars  should  be  overhauled  all  over,  and  for  this  reason  the  method 
of  holding  them  on  the  table  of  the  machine  is  important.  The  clamps 
provided  with  the  machines  described  would  not  permit  the  tool  to  pass 
over  the  end  of  the  bar,  therefore  a  special  device  shown  in  Fig.  412  was 
designed.     In  this  the  pull  of  the  tool  makes  the  jaws  bite  into  the  brass 


Chap.  I] 


MANUFACTURE  OF  CARTRIDGE  BRASS 


533 


5-'-- 


-e  ■ 


3'- 


?  Mole- 


st- 


Riveis,  ^Diam. 

Couniersunk 

and  Chipped 

on  Four  Side 


9-^  .  o 

^        "^    -els' 

o  o  o  o-^ 


^. 


-3t 


and  holds  them  more  firmly.     The  bars  are  then  turned  end  for  end  to 
clean  up  the  portion  covered  by  the  front  clamp. 

Inspection  follows,  after  which  the  bars  may  be  returned  to  the  opera- 
tor for  proper  machining,  rejected  as  scrap,  or  passed  to  the  running- 
down  rolls. 

The  overhauling-machine  oper- 
ators are  paid  on  a  piece-rate^  *_ 
basis  of  from  2}4  to  4c.  per  bar,  tt^ 
depending  upon  material  and  size 
of  bar,  irrespective  of  mill  varia- 
tions from  nominal  length.  The 
output  per  machine  should  average 
ten  to  fourteen  bars  per  hour, 
overhauling  all  over. 

Running  Down. — The  bars 
which  have  passed  inspection  are 
then  run  through  the  breaking 
down  rolls  and  reduced  to  a  suita- 
ble thickness  for  finishing.  They 
are  then  sorted  into  loads  (lots)  of 
60,  which  load  is  used  as  a  unit 
quantity  of  metal  until  it  is  finished. 

The  run-down  bars  gage  to  within  0.020  in.  of  the  same  size,  but  may 
vary 'somewhat  in  temper  or  hardness  so  that  they  are  annealed  in  order 
to  facilitate  the  finishing  operation.  This  annealing  is  done  in  order  to 
bring  all  the  metal  to  the  same  condition  as  regards  temper  rather  than 
because  the  metal  is  too  hard  to  allow  further  reduction  without  splitting 
or  cracking. 


FIG.    413.      BAR-ANNEALING   PAN 


^^^ 

r- 

CAST  STEEL 
0*. 

N 

FIG.    414. 

PAN 

1     / 

l<-/|'i«m-> 

<7|Z?/i7m->l 
HOOK 

First  Annealing.^The  furnaces  generally  used  for  both  the  first  and 
final  annealing  operations  are  of  the  muffle  type,  using  gas,  coal  or  oil 
as  fuel.  A  usual  size  is  about  6  ft.  6  in.  wide,  32  ft.  long  and  3  ft.  high, 
allowing  three  6  X  10-ft.  annealing  pans  (see  Fig.  413)  to  be  used  in  tandem. 


534  CARTRIDGE  CASES  [Sec.  Ill 

These  are  coupled  together  by  pan  hooks,  each  as  shown  in  Fig.  414  and 
are  handled  by  a  motor-driven  winch. 

The  bars  are  kept  in  the  furnace  until  the  metal  is  brought  to  an  even 
heat  all  over.  The  temperature  of  the  furnace  is  not  as  important  in  the 
first  annealing  operation  as  in  the  final,  but  ordinarily  about  the  same 
temperature  is  maintained  in  the  furnace,  approximately  1,250  deg.  F. 

Second  Rolling  Operation. — The  cleaned  bars  then  go  to  the  finishing 
mills  and  pass  through  the  rolls  adjusted  to  deliver  bars  closely  approxi- 
mating finished  size.  The  bars  are  then  sorted  iiito  lots,  covering  a 
range  of  variation  of  not  more  than  0.002  in.  Each  lot  is  then  rolled  to 
finish  gage  in  a  final  pass  on  one  setting  of  the  rolls,  a  different  setting 
being  determined  for  each  lot. 

The  finishing  rolls  require  regrinding  once  or  twice  a  week.  This  is 
done  by  traversing  the  rolls  with  a  stick  fitted  to  the  curve  of  the  rolls, 
using  a  mixture  of  No.  60  emery  and  oil.  This  operation  consumes 
3  or  4  hours. 

Final  Annealing. — The  finished  bars  are  then  subjected  to  another 
annealing  operation  which  must  be  performed  with  great  care  as  to  the 
proper  temper,  tensile  strength  and  elongation  of  brass  depends  mainly 

, — I 1 ^ .feX 

|oooooooooooo|   t<-> 

I  ! ,11      i-i     i!     ii     11     li     !l     !!     V  ]% 

,  MACHINE  STEEL 

I  Machine- shel pjns  are  inser-tectin  ihe  holes  when  in  use'-'' 

FIG.    41.       FIXTURE    FOR    HOLDING   BARS 

upon  the  temperature  reached  in  annealing,  and  the  bars  must  be  uni- 
formly heated.  To  secure  even  heating  the  bars  are  set  on  edge  on  a 
fixture  as  shown  in  Fig.  415  before  being  put  into  the  annealing  pans. 

For  annealing  67  to  33  per  cent,  brass  to  secure  minimum  tensile 
strength  of  43,000  lb.  per  in.  and  a  minimum  elongation  of  57  per  cent, 
in  4  in.,  a  temperature  of  about  1,250  deg.  F.  is  sufficient.  The  bars 
must  remain  in  the  furnace  until  the  metal  has  been  brought  to  the  same 
heat  throughout.    <^ 

Pickling. — The  annealed  metal  has  a  slight  scale  on  it  that  must  be 
removed  before  finishing.  This  is  done  by  dipping  the  bars  in  a  pickle 
solution  of  10  to  ]5  per  cent,  sulphuric  acid.  Acid  and  water  are  added 
each  day  to  make  up  the  strength  of  the  solution  and  to  replace  the  drip 
loss  on  each  bar.  The  acid  acts  more  quickly  and  effectively  if  heated 
by  a  steam  coil  to  about  150  deg.  F. 

The  concentration  of  copper  sulphate  in  the  solution  should  be 
checked  frequently,  for  when  it  is  high  a  large  amount  of  acid  will  be 
required  and  there  is  a  tendency  under  certain  conditions  to  plate  out 


Chap.  I]  MANyFACTURE  OF  CARTRIDGE  BRASS  535 

copper  on  the  bars.  This  is  especially  objectionable  when  pickling  the 
finished  metal  after  final  annealing. 

Metal  is  rarely  handled  in  bar  form  longer  than  18  ft.  as  greater 
lengths  are  coiled.  Tanks  about  4  ft.  wide,  30  ft.  long  and  2  ft.  6  in. 
deep  are  standard.  Timber  such  as  cedar,  yellow  pine,  etc.,  in  finished 
planks  3  in.  thick  mortised  and  bolted  together  with  3^-in.  iron  stud  bolts 
is  usual  construction.     The  acid  tank  is  lined  with  3^-in.  sheet  lead. 

The  method  of  dipping  the  bars  varies  with  the  crane  facilities. 
Excellent  work  has  been  done  by  pickling  each  load  of  sixty  bars  in 
sUngs  made  of  brass  bars  bent  up  for  this  purpose.  A  ten-ton  crane 
picks  up  the  load  from  the  furnace  front  and  carries  it  directly  to  the 
acid  tub.  An  immersion  of  ten  or  fifteen  minutes  should  be  sufficient 
to  clean  the  bars  to  a  bright  yellow,  free  from  scale  or  discoloration. 
Afterward  the  load  is  rinsed  in  two  tubs  of  clear  water — the  latter  pref- 
erably hot  to  assist  in  drying.  The  water  from  the  second  tub  is  led 
through  an  overflow  into  the  first.  The  bars  are  dried  by  covering 
with  sawdust^  that  is  then  removed  bx  brushes.  .,>^his  is  best  determined 
directly  by  the  color  or  by  a  pyrometer  working  on  the  radiation  principle. 
The  points  of  thermo-couple  pyrometers  are  not  'always  the  same  tem- 
perature as  the  metal  and  each  may  be  affected  differently  by  currents 
of  gases  in  the  furnace.  The  length  of  time  the  metal  is  exposed  to  a 
constant  temperature  does  not  seem  materially  to  affect  the  strength 
of  the  metal,  at  least  for  small  differences  of  an  hour  or  two.  Usually, 
however,  the  temperature  continues  to  run  up  after  the  firing  of  the  fur- 
nace has  stopped  and  thus  the  condition  of  constant  temperature  is  not 
realized.  Quenching  or  cooling  slowly  does  not  seem  appreciably  to 
affect  the  strength  of  the  metal.  Care  should  be  taken  to  avoid  an 
excess  of  air,  as  the  atmosphere  of  the  furnace  should  be  more  nearly 
reducing  than  oxidizing. 

Summarized  a  scheme  of  reduction  for  one  grade  of  cartridge  brass 
is  as  follows: 

Inches 

Cast  bar 1.000  ±  0.020 

Breaking  down 0.750  ±  0.015 

Running  down    0.650  +  0.012 

Running  down   0.550  ±  0.010 

Running  down   ; 0.450  ±  0.008 

Anneal 

Finishing 0.384  ±  0.005 

Finishing 0.374  ±  0.003 

Finishing .* 0.368  ±  0.002 

Anneal 


CHAPTER  II 
MAKING  1-LB.  CARTRIDGE  CASES^ 

The  manufacture  of  cartridge  cases,  almost  entirely  a  punch  press 
undertaking,  calls  for  exceedingly  accurate  work,  on  account  of  the 
close  limits  imposed  on  allowable  variations.  This  is  well  demonstrated 
in  the  methods  employed  by  the  New  York  and  Hagerstown  Metal 
Stamping  Co.,  Hagerstown,  Md.,  in  producing  1-lb.  cartridge  cases  for 
the  British  Government. 

These  cartridge  cases,  illustrated  in  Figs.  416  and  417,  are  made  from 
sheet  brass,  analyzing  approximately  70  per  cent,  copper  and  30  per  cent. 


0.055%*^ 

Xa/sot. 

±0.0/", 


;'.;<vvOv^^...r...y-,-^.. 


Allowable  DrfFerence  in  Thickness  b/ 
Eccenlricify  of  Moufh  -  0.005" 

^i      Allowable  Ecceniricify  of  Primer  Hole 
S^ci   i^  ^'^^  Ccfi^-O-OI 

N     Allowable  fccenlricily  of  Head 


with  Case -0.005" 


TT^^j-^^-^.'^'j- 


■ ----->^0.5I5^— 0.7^8'— >^ 

FIG.    416.       DETAILS    OF    1-LB.    CARTRIDGE    CASE 


■4.e48- 

'  5.589"- 


0.02" 

oDor 


spelter,  with  a  variation  of  about  1  per  cent,  either  way  and  an  allowance 
of  }/2  per  cent,  for  impurities.  The  stock  is  purchased  in  the  form  of 
blanks  measuring  2%  in.  in  diameter  and  0.20  in.  in  thickness.  The 
physical  requirements  of  the  completed  case  are  48,000  to  54,000  lb.  per 
sq.  in.  tensile  strength  at  the  mouth  with  58  per  cent,  minimum  local 
elongation,  a  minimum  tensile  strength  of  60,000  lb.  per  sq.  in.  at  the 
head  and  under  the  head  a  minimum  tensile  strength  of  58,000  lb.  per 
sq.  in. 

The  requirements  called  for  in  manufacturing   the  cartridge  cases 
are  as  follows: 

1.  The  cases  must  be  cold  drawn  from  brass  of  the  proper  quality. 

2.  The  curvature  at  the  neck  shall  conform  to  that  of  the  standard 
gun  chambers  shown  on  the  drawings,  within  manufacturing  limits. 

3.  Ten  from  each  lot  of  5,000  shall  be  selected  by  the  inspector  to 
be  proved. 

^  Robert  Mawson,  Associate  Editor,  American  Machinist. 

636 


Chap.  II] 


MAKING  1-LB.  CARTRIDGE  CASES 


537 


4.  The  proof  shall  be  the  firing  of  each  of  the  selected  cartridge  cases 
once  with  service  charge  and  shell.  Two  of  the  fired  cases  shall  then  be 
selected  by  the  inspector;  and  from  each  of  them  three  additional  service 
rounds  shall  be  fired  without  re-forming,  but  the  forward  end  of  the 
cylindrical  part  of  the  neck  may  be  contracted  sufficiently  to  grip  the 
shell  at  each  reloading. 

5.  The  proof  cases  of  accepted  lots  may  be  incorporated  in  the  regular 
lots,  provided  they  are  re-formed  and  again  pass  inspection. 

6.  No  cases  must  show  signs  of  weakness  or  excessive  hardness. 

The  manufacture  of  the  cartridge  cases  involve  some  27  main  opera- 
tions, as  given  in  the  following  table,  some  of  which  are  shown  in  the 
series  of  sketches. 


FIG.    417.      VARIOUS   STAGES   OF    1-LB.    CASE   FROM  BLANK  TO   FINISHED   PART 


Table  of  Sequence  of  Operations 


1. 

Blank 

13. 

Trim  to  length 

21. 

Machine  to  length 

2. 

Cup 

14. 

Anneal  and  pickle 

22. 

Burr  inside   of  primer 

3. 

Anneal  and  pickle 

15. 

Fifth  draw 

hole 

4. 

Indent 

16. 

Trim  to  length 

23. 

Finish-machine  primer 

5. 

Anneal  and  pickle 

17. 

Head 

hole  and  form  recess 

6. 

First  draw 

18. 

Anneal  open  end  and 

24. 

Wash 

7. 

Anneal  and  pickle 

wash 

8. 

Second  draw 

19. 

Form  taper 

25. 

Final  inspection 

9. 

Anneal  and  pickle 

20. 

Face  and  finish-machine 

26. 

Stamp 

10. 

Third  draw 

flange   and   rough   out 

27. 

Pack  ready  for  shipping 

11. 

Anneal  and  pickle 

primer  hole 

12. 

Fourth  draw 

Summarized  a  scheme  of  reduction  for  one  grade  of  cartridge  brass 
is  as  follows: 


538 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


[Sec.  Ill 


OPERATION  2.      CUPPINQ 

Machine  Used — Ferracute  6-iii.  stroke  press. 
Production — 625  per  hr. 


OPERATION  4.      INDENTING 

Machine  Used — Special  2^-in.  stroke  press. 
Production — 475  per  hr. 


OPERATION  6,      FIRST  DRAWING 

Machine  Used — Ferracute  6-in.  stroke  press. 
Production — 550  per  hr. 


Chap.  II] 


MAKING  1-LB.  CARTRIDGE  CASES 


539 


OPERATION  8.      SECOND  DRAWING 


Machine  Used — Bliss  8-in.  stroke  press. 
Production — 550  per  hr. 


OPERATION  10.      THIRD  DRAWING 


Machine  Used — Bliss  8-in.  stroke  press. 
Production — 550  per  hr. 


OPERATION    12.      FOURTH    DRAWING 


Machine  Used — Bliss  15-in.  stroke  press. 
Production — 400  per  hr. 


540 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


[Sec.  Ill 


OPERATION    13.      TRIMMING   TO   LENGTH 

Machine  Used — Special  lathe. 

Special  Tools — ^Lathe,  chuck,  wooden  tongs  and  parting  tool. 

Production — 200  per  hr. 


OPERATION    15.      FIFTH   DRAWING 


Machine  Used — Bliss  15-in.  stroke  press. 
Production — 400  per  hr. 


Chap.  TI] 


MAKING  1-LB.  CARTRIDGE  CASES 


541 


OPERATION    17.      HEADING 


Machine  Used — Bliss  12-in.  stroke  press. 
Production — 400  per  hr. 


OPERATION    19.       TAPERING 

Machine  Used — Ferracute  20-in.  stroke  press. 
Production — 400  per  hr. 


542 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


[Sec.  Ill 


OPERATION   20.      MACHINING   FLANGE 

Machine  Used — Dreses  &  Windsor  turret  lathe. 
Production — 100  per  hr. 


OPERATION   21.      MACHINING   TO    LENGTH 

Machine  Used — Pratt  &  Whitney  drilling  machine. 
Production — 200  per  hr. 


Cuffing 


OPERATION    22.      BURRING 

Machine  Used — Pratt  &  Whitney  drilling  machine. 
Production — 300  per  hr. 


Chap.  II] 


MAKING  1-LB.  CARTRIDGE  CASES 


543 


ilpniip-- 


OPERATION   23.      FINISH   MACHINING   PRIMER   HOLE   AND    RECESS 

Machine  Used — Pratt  &  Whitney  drilling  machine. 
Production — 200  per  hr. 


Ill|P!!lli.,lllll,n...|l„1 

OPERATION   26.      STAMPING 

Machine  Used — Foot-controlled  press. 
Special  Tools — Arbor  and  steel  stamp. 
Production — 600  per  hr. 

The  first  machine  operation  consists  in  cupping  the  blanks  in  a  Ferra- 
cute  press.  The  form  of  the  punch  and  die  employed  is  shown  in  Fig. 
418.  The  die  is  supported  on  a  bolster  of  the  style  illustrated  in  Fig.  419 
and  the  punch  is  held  in  a  special  holder,  Fig.  420. 

The  cupped  blanks  are  then  annealed  in  gas-heated  ovens  in  which 
the  temperature  is  kept  at  approximately  1,380  deg.  F.  Here  they  are 
allowed  to  remain  30  min.,  a  sheet  of  flame  playing  under  the  trays 
holding  the  parts. 

After  annealing,  the  parts  are  conveyed  to  the  pickling  tanks,  Fig. 
421,  and  washed  in  "Edis''  compound,  to  remove  the  scale.  The  parts 
are  then  transferred  to  the  indenting  machine  where  the  cupped  shell 


544 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


[Sec.  Ill 


is  placed  in  the  die  and  the  punch  fed  down  with  the  machine  to  form 
the  indentation. 

r§''Threacf,Tapl"deep,  Chamfers^' 


U-  ^ 

U-- 4''DJam.- 

Cupping  Die 

FIG.    418.      DETAIL   OF   PUNCH    AND   DIE 

The  retainer  plate,  Fig.  422,  the  punch  holder,  Fig.  420,  the  punch, 
Fig.  423,  the  center  section.  Fig.  424,  the  die.  Fig.  425,  and  the  bolster, 
Fig.  426,  are  used  for  this  indenting  operation. 


ihpec^  Holes, 


II  r;7-^-7i  ii 

r^i^^oTi^i/  f 

\1 

k- 


w/ ,^  CAsrmoti 

FIG.    419.      DETAIL   OF  BOLSTER 


The  parts  are  then  annealed  and  pickled  in  a  similar  manner  to  that 
described  for  the  previous  operation.  After  the  pickling  they  are  re- 
turned to  the  Ferracute  press,  and  the  first  drawing  operation  occurs. 


Chap.  II] 


MAKING  1-LB.  CARTRIDGE  CASES 


545 


-^ 


i ' 


I 
I 


I  ,,       TWa  5  Moree  Taper 

1  ^ ^k-->^  I 

u  - j/ -J 

CAST  IRON  TOP  DRAW  PUNCH  ST^EL  FOP  INDENT  PUNCH 


FIG.    420.       DETAIL  OF  PUNCH   HOLDER 


FIG.    421.      PICKLING   TANKS 


35 


546 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


[Sec.  Ill 


DIAM. 
A 

DATA 

le.No. 

^r 

For  Cupping  dnd  Indent  Die 

7 

^^' 

For  I5i  Draw  Die 

23 

ln" 

„   2"-^     "       •' 

28 

m" 

..    yd    .,       .. 

.34 

.r 

"    4113    "        '^ 

39 

iir 

,,    5th    «       .. 

44 

PIG.  422.   DETAIL  OP  RETAINER  PLATE 


Afe  5  Afars?  ;^gr-  • 


...^ 


■■-2f 


Z07"- 

■^■- 1.695"- 


TOOL 
5T££L 


r < i 


K /.sea- 


J_. 


57rfZ 


PIG.    423.      DETAIL  OF  INDENT  PUNCH  FIG.   424.      DETAIL  OF  CENTER  SECTION 


t_ 


h-/'//4^"-H       ' 

T 

''<  I59S''>\ 

Y 

1     ..  1 

i 
— \ 

-J. 

0578" 

"T 


PIG.    425.      DETAIL   OF  INDENT  PUNCH 


h 


■8"Diam: 


^/^ 

r ^  t 1 

:>          >-!      >, 

i           !                                      1                        :    T00L5TSEL              \           i 
j          J                                    ^r^....2f....A     (.Harden)                |          . 

— ! ; 1 i — 1 L_ 

I  MACHINE  ST5EL-^ 

.        H iO"- H 

U--- --■■■■/2"D/am. - -- 

PIG.    426.      DETAIL  OP   INDENT  BOLSTER 


•J 


Chap.  II] 


MAKING  1-LB.  CARTRIDGE  CASES 


547 


The  punch  holder,  Fig.  420,  punch  die  of  the  type  shown  in  Fig.  427,  the 
bolster,  Fig.  419,  and  the  retainer  plate.  Fig.  422,  are  used  for  this  first 
drawing  operation.  The  parts  are  then  annealed  and  pickled  in  a  similar 
manner  to  that  previously  described. 

The  next  operation  is  the  second  drawing.     The  machine  used  for 
this  work  is  a  Bliss  press.     The  punch  holder.  Fig.  420,  the  bolster,  Fig. 


TOOL  5Tf£L 


S  Tap./" Deep ^ 


i    K 


i      ^^ 


.    .     \/^.5Mor. 
i>.    Taper- 

i_tj 


U-.//'-^ 


FIG.    427.      DETAILS  OP  DRAWING  PUNCHES   AND   DIES 

419,  the  punch.  Fig.  422,  the  die.  Fig.  427,  the  retainer  plate.  Fig.  420,  and 
the  stripper.  Fig.  428,  are  used  in  performing  this  operation. 

The  cases  are  again  annealed  and  pickled.  Then  the  next  operation 
on  the  shell  is  the  third  drawing,  which  is  also  done  on  a  Bliss  press. 
The  punch  holder.  Fig.  420,  the  bolster,  Fig.  419,  the  stripper.  Fig.  428, 


^^  Tap 


^ 

-^-■-i- 

.i_|_.Z_ 

_A._^-    1 

I' 

—R 

FIG.   428.      DETAIL  OF  STRIPPER 

the  punch.  Fig.  422,  the  die.  Fig.  427,  and  the  retainer  plate,  Fig.  422,  are 
used  for  the  third  drawing  operation. 

The  parts  are  annealed  and  pickled  once  more  and  are  then  taken  to 
a  larger  Bliss  press  for  the  fourth  drawing  operation.  The  punch  holder, 
Fig.  420,  the  bolster  Fig.  418,  the  stripper.  Fig.  428,  the  punch  and  die. 
Fig.  427,  and  the  retainer  plate,  Fig.  422,  are  again  employed  for  this 
operation. 


548  CARTRIDGE  CASES  [Sec.  Ill 

The  case  is  next  taken  to  the  special  lathe,  Fig.  429,  and  the  open  end 
trimmed  so  that  the  overall  length  is  4J^  in.  The  case  is  gripped  with 
the  wooden  tongs  A  and  slipped  into  the  chuck  B  against  a  stop  surface. 

The  handle  C  is  drawn  forward,  actuating  the  jaws  of  the  chuck  so 
that  they  grip  the  case  securely.  The  parting  tool  D  is  fed  against  the 
revolving  case,  and  the  end  is  trimmed  to  the  correct  length. 

The  handle  is  pushed  back,  thus  releasing  the  chuck,  and  with  the 
aid  of  the  tongs  the  case  is  removed  from  the  machine.  The  case  is 
transferred  to  the  oven,  annealed  and  afterward  pickled  in  a  manner 
similar  to  that  previously  described. 

The  case  is  then  subjected  to  the  last  drawing  operation,  the  fifth, 
which  is  done  on  a  long  stroke  Bliss  press  similar  to  that  used  for  the 
fourth  draw.     The  tools  and  fixtures  employed  resemble  those  used  for 


FIG.    429.       TRIMMING   END    OF  SHELL 

this  previous  operation,  but  are  of  such  proportions  as  to  leave  the  shell, 
below  the  section  which  is  subsequently  contracted,  finished,  but  for 
certain  minor  operations. 

The  case  is  then  trimmed  to  length  and  headed.  The  latter  operation 
is  performed  in  a  12-in.  stroke  Bliss  press  equipped  with  the  tools  and 
fixtures  illustrated  in  Fig.  430. 

From  the  press,  the  cases  go  to  the  washing  tank  where  they  are 
submerged  for  one  minute  in  a  solution  of  ''Carlsrhue"  heated  to  420 
deg.  F.  to  remove  any  grease.  After  this  they  are  rinsed,  first  in  hot 
water  and  then  in  cold,  and  the  open  end  of  the  shell  annealed  by  dipping 
in  a  solution  of  saltpeter  heated  to  about  760  deg.  F.  The  shells  remain 
in  this  liquid  for  2  min. 

The  next  operation  is  tapering,  which  is  performed  with  the  tools 
seen  in  Fig.  431.     The  case  is  slid  into  the  die  and  the  bunter  placed  on 


Chap.  II] 


MAKING  1-LB.  CARTRIDGE  CASES 


549 


Bunter 


■TOOL  STEEL 
-5- -----H 

■-^ -n  . 


TOOL 
STEEL 


0265''Ay„U^^M047"R. 

omI{  h- 

Q082",       \^-l.80\    -A 

iR^-Z.9Q6"-A 
TOOL  STEEL 


To  m 

Shell 


\TOOL 
\  STEEL 


■14%' 


Zk 


Head  Bols+er  No.19  Knock  Ou+ 

FIG.    430.      DETAILS  OF  PUNCH,  DIE,  BOLSTER,  BUNTER  AND  KNOCK-OUT  FOR  HEADING 

OPERATION 


\^-Z.749->\ 


<-Z-->. 


F 


Length  io 
suH-  Machine 


*jr 


]  ^<*> 


U-2^^-J 


i 


!qte 


H4e4"\ 
Taper  Die 


r- 


c- 4- 


^ . 


I  r  '"i2>2''"^' 11/^^^^^^^'*' 


To  fif-' 
Shell 


} 


•- ei"- J  k/J   • 

Taper  Bolster  No.l9  Taper  Knockout 

FIG.    431.      DETAILS  OF  PUNCH,  BUNTER,  DIE,  BOLSTER  AND  KNOCK-OUT  FOR  TAPERING 

OPERATION 


550 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


[Sec.  Ill 


the  head.     The  punch  is  fed  down  by  the  machine,  a  Ferracute  20-in. 
stroke  press,  and  the  case  is  forced  into  the  die,  (see  operation  19). 

The  shell  is  then  taken  to  the  small  turret  lathe,  the  flange  faced 
and  turned  to  size  and  the  primer  hole  roughed  out.     For  this  operation 


h.RADJUS  TOOL 
FIG.    432.      TOOL   SET-UP   FOR   MACHINING   FLANGE 

the  shell  is  firmly  held  in  the  chuck,  being  pushed  against  a  stop  surface. 
The  tool  in  the  turret  is  pushed  up  and  the  primer  hole  is  rough-drilled 
and  counter  bored.     The  front  post  carries  two  tools,  one  machining  the 


Shelf 


FIG.    433.      DETAILS   OF   CLAMP   AND   HOLDING   FIXTURE 

outside  surface  of  the  flange  and  the  other  forming  the  radius  in  the 
flange.  Stops  are  used  on  the  turret  slide  and  both  tool  posts,  so  that 
the  correct  dimensions  may  be  obtained.  Details  of  the  tools  for  the 
operation  are  given  in  Fig.  432. 


Chap.  II] 


MAKING  1-LB.  CARTRIDGE  CASES 


551 


The  case  is  then  transferred  to  a  Pratt  &  Whitney  drilling  machine, 
operation  21,  and  machined  to  length.  The  shell  is  placed  on  an  arbor 
and,  the  table  being  raised  to  a  stop,  the  revolving  tool  machines  the 
case  to  length.  It  is  held  by  the  operator  with  the  wooden  clamp.  Fig. 
433.     A  detail  of  the  cutter  used  is  shown  in  Fig.  434. 


<^     Mi     'I     f  C 


'MACHINE  STEEL 


rilr 


•"^^  Bol+ 

„  n  MACHINE  STEEb. 

■^Ssfscrews      „\     / 

(TT 


35 


Collar 


Safety    Cul+er'    „  ^_-.-.-,  „       ^_^ 

H ^^---'^>^ 

FIG.    434.       CUTTER   AND    FINISHING  SHELL 


rV\  TOOL  STEEL  (Harden) 

'-^      ^      '  ^iApprox.fif 
fo  Spindle 


-  -i--i-lAiii'-l.iiil: 


The  inside  of  the  primer  hole  is  then  burred,  see  operation  22.  For 
this  operation  the  case  is  held  with  the  wooden  clamp,  as  for  the  preceding 
operation. 

The  next  operation — reaming  the  primer  hole  and  forming  the  recess 
— is  also  performed  on  a  Pratt  &  Whitney.  The  shell  is  held  in  a  special 
fixture  and  the  primer  hole  is  reamed  and  counterbored.  The  combina- 
tion tool  and  holding  fixture  for  the  machining  is  illustrated  in  Fig.  435. 


Finish 
0.475"' 

Finish 
0.27S- 


■->f.k- 


FIG.    435.      COMBINATION   TOOL   AND   HOLDING   FIXTURE 


The  cases  are  then  taken  to  the  inspection  department  for  the  final 
examination.     The  various  gages  used  are  shown  in  detail  in  Fig.  436. 

After  the  final  inspection  the  cases  that  have  been  passed  are  stamped 
and  then  washed  to  remove  the  grease.  They  are  then  packed  ready  for 
shipment. 

A  novel  method  of  shipping  the  cartridge  cases  is  employed  at  this 
factory.     The  firm  was  originally  in  the  business  of  manufacturing  seam- 


552 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


[Sec.  Ill 


W 

i 


^fioi  Go 


If — r~n 


Ljmi+  Snap  Gage  for  Thickness  a+  Mou+W 

TOOL  STEEL 


Mas+er  -for  Umi+  Snap  6age  for  Thickness  o-f^  Mou+b 


^  - 


-t% 


4 


>^ 


^.->f 


.  ^    g     SI    ^ 


V       TOOL 


^     Groundh     — | 


£555 


^^/-/c^ 


4>" 

0  ■••2,\ 


"^^rt^  O  O  ^]§Th!cA 


Go  5.589" 


Nof  Go  f.549 


~~7 

\ 


)  ■ 
); 


Snap  Gage  for  Diame+er  of  Head 


ul 


Noi  Go 


^S.389'' 


r ----S.549 --->\ 

Limi+  Snap  6age  for  Overall  Leng+h  of  Case 

--l.765-—->\ 


ci:z_l 


^■■\  Drill  Rod 


-5.589- 


GoC 


)5.549'- 


//AH 

^Th/clc-y    ^i  I 


TOOL 
STEEL 


S:j49 

Mas+ers  for  Leng+h  of  She!  I 


7h/cJ( 


TOOL  STEEL 

(Harden  and 
Ground) 


K--7/— /.5Zf- 


Mas+er  for  Diame+er  of  Head  Gage 

^—1.452" 


Mas+er  for  Thickness 
of  Head 


j» 


Jiiu 


T^H 


Lighisieel  Spring 


J    '0.037 


0.037 
_  1^12" „Noijo  shorn  over 
'  1-409  Hoi  io'sMw  under 
TOOL  5TEEL(Harden  and  Ground) 
Dep+h  Gages  for  Primer  Sea+s 


t t 


TOOL  STEEL 
(Harden  and  Ground) 


Liml+  Plug  Gage  for 
Mou+h  of  Shell 

FIG.    436.       GAGES  FOR  TESTING 


Chap.  II] 


MAKING  1-LB.  CARTRIDGE  CASES 


553 


MACHINE  STEEL 


Body  Goge 


V-—^S—;-M\i\ 


■H 


V-- 3^- -A 


Gages  for  Primer  Coun+erbore 


Plug  Gages  for  ?r\mer  Ho!e 


0.04 


l<-— 4248- ->| 

Shell  Mas+er  for  Chamber 


CARTRIDGE   CASES 


554 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


[Sec.  Ill 


less  steel  caskets.  These  are  now  being  used  for  the  finished  cartridge 
cases.  Each  casket  will  hold  516  cases,  which  are  placed  in  two  trays. 
Attached  to  each  tray  is  a  board  properly  spaced  to  keep  the  cartridge  cases 
from  moving.  The  advantage  of  this  method  of  packing  is  the  ease  with 
which  the  cases  may  be  placed  in  the  tray.  Further,  by  removing  the 
trays  individually  and  turning  them  over,  the  cases  will  drop  out  straight 


FIG.  437.   PACKING  CASE  FOR  CARTRIDGE  CASES,  WITH  CAPACITY  FOR  516  CASES 

and  in  a  convenient  position  for  forcing  the  steel  projectile  in  position. 
Another  advantage  is  that  the  shipper  can  readily  see  when  the  correct 
number  has  been  put  in,  without  the  necessity  of  calculation. 

One  of  these  caskets  is  illustrated  in  Fig.  437  with  the  upper  tray 
removed,  so  that  the  method  of  packing  may  be  easily  observed. 


CHAPTER   III 

MAKING    THE    18-LB.    CARTRIDGE    CASE^— DRAWING    18-LB. 
CARTRIDGE  CASES  ON  BULLDOZERS  AND  FROG 
PLANERS2- CARTRIDGE  HEADING  PRESSES 
AND    ACCUMULATORS    AT    THE 
ANGUS  SH0PS2 

Typical  of  cartridge  case  manufacture  in  general  is  the  task  of  making 
cases  for  the  British  18-pounders  (see  Fig.  438)  and  a  description  of  the 
processes  employed  by  the  American  Locomotive  Co.,  Richmond,  Va., 
and  the  work  performed  by  that  company  gives  a  clear  conception  of 
the  difficulties  encountered  in  such  work.  By  radical  changes  in  equip- 
ment and  methods  in  this  plant,  an  average  daily  output  of  about  18,000 
cases  was  attained. 

The  stock  blanks  are  purchased  in  the  form  of  brass  disks  6.375  in. 
in  diameter  by  0.0380  in.  thick,  analyzing  about  70  per  cent,  copper  and 
30  per  cent,  spelter.  This  composition  varies  to  some  extent,  the  range 
being  approximately  as  follows: 

Copper 67  to  72  per  cent.    Lead  under 0. 10  per  cent. 

Zinc 33  to  28  per  cent.     Iron  under 0 .  10  per  cent . 

The  physical  properties  of  the  metal  are — ultimate  tensile  strength, 
48,000  lb.  per  sq.  in.;  elastic  limit,  17,000  lb.  per  sq.  in.;  elongation, 
71  per  cent.  As  the  blanks  are  procured  from  three  different  concerns 
it  is  found  advisable  to  mark  them  with  a  distinguishing  symbol.  The 
blanks  are  therefore  marked  with  a  letter,  number  or  character  so  that 
the  cases  may  be  traced  should  any  defect  arise  during  the  machining 
operations. 

The  operations  followed  in  the  manufacture  of  the  case  are : 


1.  Blank 

12.  Fourth  draw 

2.  Mark  for  identification 

13.  Second  indent 

3.  Cupping 

14.  Anneal  and  pickle 

4.  Anneal  and  pickle 

15.  Fifth  draw 

5.  First  draw 

16.  First  trim 

6.  Anneal  and  pickle 

17.  Anneal  and  wash 

7.  Second  draw 

18.  Sixth  draw 

8.  First  indent 

19.  Second  trim 

9.  Anneal  and  pickle 

20.  Wash 

10.  Third  draw 

21.  First  and  second  heading 

11.  Anneal  and  pickle 

22.  Flash  anneal 

^  Robert  Mawson,  Associate  Editor,  American  Machinist. 
2  John  H.  Van  Deventer,  Managing  Editor,  American  Machinist. 

555 


556 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


[Sec.  Ill 


TT  -  I 1  -t:^ 


-.li3 


-mmi- > -^ 


Chap.  Ill] 


MAKING  THE  18-LB.  CARTRIDGE  CASE 


557 


23.  First  taper 

24.  Second  taper 

25.  Machine  head 

26.  First  inspection 

27.  Stamp  and  broach 


28.  Hand-tap  for  primer 

29.  Final  inspection 

30.  Government  inspection 

31.  Stamp,  box  and  ship 


OPERATION  3.      CUPPING 

Machine  Used — Bliss  No.  77K»  12-in.  stroke,  press  operating  at  13^^  r.p.m. 
Production — 800  per  hr. 
Lubricant  Used — ^Lub-a-tone. 
Pressure  Required — 120  tons.   ■ 


OPERATION   4.      ANNEALING   AND    PICKLING    CONTINUOUS   NO.    A-258-S 

Apparatus  Used — Quigley  crude-oil  furnace  and  trays,  water  and  "Edis"  compound 
tanks. 

Production — 1,400  per  furnace  per  hr. 


558 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


[Sec.  Ill 


^ 


'^j.J^ 


OPERATION  5.       FIRST  DRAW 

Machine  Used — Bliss  No.  77^)  10-in.  stroke,  press  operating  at  13}^  r.p.m. 
Production — 800  per  hr. 
Libricant  Used — Lub-a-tone. 
Pressure  Required — 75  tons. 


^ 


J-  iA^ 


OPERATION  7.       SECOND  DRAW 

Machine  Used — Bliss  No.  773^,  12-in.  stroke,  press  operating  at  133^  r.p.m. 
Production — 800  per  hr. 
Lubricant  Used — ^Lub-a-tone. 


rPi^^^ 


OPERATION  8.       FIRST  INDENT 

Machine  Used — Bliss  No.  783^,  10-in.  stroke,  press  operating  at  12  r.p.m. 
Production — 700  per  hr. 
Lubricant  Used — None. 
Pressure  Required — 150  tons. 


Chap.  Ill] 


MAKING  THE  18-LB.  CARTRIDGE  CASE 


559 


v-^' 


^-<-v-^ 


OPERATION  10.       THIRD  DRAW 

Machine  Used — Bliss  No.  77^,  lO-in.  stroke,  press  operating  at  133^  r.p.m. 
Production — 800  per  hr. 
Lubricant  Used^Lub-a-tone. 


OPERATION  12 


y/y///y/'y//y./v//./////A 


OPERATION  13 


OPERATION  12.      FOURTH  DRAW 

Machine  Used — Bliss  No.  87,  16-in.  stroke,  press  operating  at  133^^  r.p.m. 
Production — 750  per  hr. 
Lubricant  Used — ^Lub-a-tone. 

OPERATION  13.   SECOND  INDENT 

Machine  Used — Bliss  No.  783^,  10-in.  stroke,  press  operating  at  12  r.p.m. 
Production — 700  per  hr. 
Lubricant  Used — None. 


560 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


[Sec.  Ill 


OPERATION  15  OPERATION  16 

OPERATION   15.       FIFTH  DRAW 

Machine  Used — Bliss  No.  603'^  reducing  press. 
Production — 250  per  hr. 
Lubricant  Used — ^Lub-a-tone. 

OPERATION  16.      FIRST  TRIMMING 

Machine  Used — BHss  trimmer,  speed  of  spindle  585  r.p.m. 

Production — 800  per  hr. 

Note — Case  trimmed  dry  to  93^  in. 


OPERATION  17.      WASHING 

Apparatus  Used — Tanks  and  tongs. 


Chap.  Ill] 


MAKING  THE  18-LB.  CARTRIDGE  CASE 


561 


OPERATION  18  operation' 19 

OPERATION  18.      SIXTH  DRAW 

Machine  Used — Bliss  reducing  press  No.  60^. 
Production — 230  per  hr. 
Lubricant  Used — ^Lub-a-tone. 

OPERATION  19.      SECOND  TRIMMING 

Machine  Used — BHss  trimmer,  speed  of  spindle  585  r.p.m. 
Note — Case  trimmed  dry  to  11^ He  in. 


OPERATION  21.      FIRST  AND  SECOND  HEADING 


Machine  Used — Bliss  embossing  press  No.  27. 
Production — 300  per  hr. 
Lubricant  Used — ^Lub-a-tone. 
Pressure  Required — 800  tons. 


36 


562 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


[Sec.  Ill 


OPERATION  22.       FLASH  ANNEALING 

Machine  Used — Special  four-burner  gas  furnace. 
Production — 200  per  hr. 


OPERATION  23  OPERATION  24 

OPERATION  23.       FIRST  TAPER 

Machine  Used — Bliss  wiring  press  No.  2W,  16-in.  stroke,  operating  at  16  r.p.m. 
Production — 900  per  hr. 
Lubricant  Used — Neatsfoot  oil. 

OPERATION  24.      SECOND  TAPER 

Machine  Used — Bliss  wiring  press  No.  2W,  16-in.  stroke,  operating  at  16  r.p.m. 
Production — 900  per  hour. 
Lubricant  Used — Neatsfoot  oil. 


Chap.  Ill] 


MAKING  THE  18-LB.  CARTRIDGE  CASE 


563 


OPERATION  25.       MACHINING  HEAD 

Machine  Used — Bullard  cartridge  lathe  operating  at  570  r.p.m.,  for  tapping. 

Production — 55  per  hr. 

Note — All  machine  work  performed  dry  except  threading,  where  lard  oil  is  used. 


OPERATION  27.      STAMP  AND  BROACH 

Machine  Used — Bliss  No.  39B  marking  machine. 
Production — 1,200  per  hr. 
Lubricant  Used — None. 


564 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


[Sec.  Ill 


OPERATION  28.      HAND-TAPPING  FOR  PRIMER 

Machine  Used — Holding  fixture  with  wooden  ejector. 
Production — 150  per  hr. 
Lubricant  Used — ^Lard  oil. 


OPERATION  31.      PACKING. 

Production — Seven  men  pack  and  five  men  fasten  boxes  together  at  the  rate  of 
700  in  10  hr. 


Chap.  Ill] 


MAKING  THE  18-LB.  CARTRIDGE  CASE 


565 


The  first  machining  operation  is  that  of  cupping;  the  machine  used 
for  performing  this  operation  is  a  12-in.  BHss  press.  The  punch  and  die 
for  which  are  shown  in  detail  in  Fig.  439.  The  cupped  blanks  are  then 
taken  to  the  oil  burning  furnaces  for  annealing;  the  temperature  is  kept 
at  from  1,180  to  1,200  deg.  F.  The  average  consumption  of  oil  is  15  gal. 
per  hr.  per  furnace. 

When  annealing,  two  men  load  the  trays.  The  furnace  holds  nine, 
one  tray  accommodating  about  150  blanks.     Every  6  min.  one  of  these 


Wearing  l/m/f 
PIG.    439.      DETAILS   OF  CUPPING   PUNCH  AND   DIE 

is  pushed  into  the  furnace.  The  cartridge  cases  are  left  in  the  furnace  for 
approximately  45  min.  Two  men,  stationed  at  the  furnace,  draw  out 
the  trays  according  to  the  time  noted  and  lower  them  by  an  air  hoist 
into  the  water  tank. 

Three  furnaces  are  attended  to  by  another  man  who  watches  the 
pyrometers  and  regulates  the  heat.  The  pickling  is  done  in  a  bath  of 
"Edis"  compound  made  from  1  lb.  of  the  compound  and  1  gal.  of  water. 
This  mixture  is  kept  at  a  temperature  of  from  180  to  210  deg.  F.     The 


t^;?^;::^;:::::^>^>| 


..icil:.. 


FIG.    440.       DETAILS   OF  PUNCH   AND   DIE   FOR  FIRST  DRAWING   OPERATION 


blanks  are  allowed  to  remain  in  the  pickling  tank  for  approximately  8 
min. 

The  cases  are  then  washed  in  hot  water  in  a  separate  tank.  The 
baskets  that  are  used  during  this  operation  are  made  from  copper  so  as 
to  prevent  any  discoloration  of  the  cases. 

The  next  operation  is  the  first  drawing;  the  press  used  for  this  opera- 
tion is  a  10-in.  Bliss  press.  The  punch  and  die  for  which  are  shown  in 
Fig.  440. 

The  cases  are  again  annealed  and  pickled  after  which  they  are  ready 


566 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


[Sec.  Ill 


for  the  second  drawing  operation,  which  is  performed  on  a  12-in.  Bliss 
press.  Details  of  the  punch  and  die  used  for  this  second  drawing  are 
shown  in  Fig.  441. 

The  cases  are  then  taken  to  another  Bliss  press  for  the  first  indenting 
operation.  Details  of  the  punch,  die  and  center  post  used  for  this  opera- 
tion are  shown  in  Fig.  442;  details  of  the  die  holder  and  punch  holder 
in  Fig.  443. 


7.748Diam. 


k -■■ Hi-- — 

FIG.    441.      DETAILS  OP  PUNCH  AND  DIE   FOR  SECOND  DRAWING   OPERATION 


W  NOTE:  All  Punches  and  Dies 
"^  are  made  of  Tool  Sfeel, 

Hardened  and  Ground 


The  third  draw  is  performed  on  a  No.  773^  Bliss  press.  Details  of 
the  punch  and  die  used  for  this  third  drawing  are  shown  in  Fig.  444. 
The  cases  are  then  again  annealed  and  pickled  as  before. 

The  next  operation  is  the  fourth  drawing;  the  press  used  is  a  16-in. 
stroke  Bliss  No.  87.  The  punch  and  die  used  for  the  drawing  operation 
are  shown  in  detail  in  Fig.  445. 

The  case  is  now  ready  for  the  second  indenting,  which  is  performed 
on  a  Bliss  No.  78 J^.     Details  of  the  die  and  punch  holders  used  in  this 


TOOL  STEELCHarden  and  Grind) 


FIG.    442.      DETAILS  OF  THE   PUNCH,   DIE   AND   CENTER  POST  FOR  FIRST  INDENTING 

OPERATION 

operation  are  shown  in  Fig.  443.  The  punch  and  die  are  also  shown  in 
detail  in  Fig.  446.  The  cases  are  then  annealed  as  described  and  pickled 
by  dipping  in  a  bath  made  in  the  proportion  of  1  part  sulphuric  acid  to 
10  parts  water,  and  kept  at  a  temperature  of  120  deg.  F. 

The  next  operation  on  the  case  is  the  fifth  drawing;  performed  on  a 
Bliss  No.  60H  reducing  press.  Details  of  the  punch  and  die  used  for 
this  drawing  are  shown  in  Fig.  447. 


Chap.  Ill] 


MAKING  THE  18-LB.  CARTRIDGE  CASE 


567 


^-  Clamp  Ring 
'.^l.mCHINE  STEEL 

■"^"nCen+ering 
Ring 

Backing 
^"^-Pla+e 
-\TOOL  STEEL 
{(Harden  and 
'  ,nOrind) 

Die  Holder 
CASJIRON 


■54- 

^YJoodruff  Key  in  Back 
lnden+-Punch  Holder 

PIG.    443.      DETAILS   OP  DIE   AND  PUNCH  HOLDERS 


7.748Diam. 


PIG.    444.      DETAILS   OF   PUNCH   AND   DIE   FOR   THIRD   DRAWING   OPERATION 


Q.97S 


Y---7-748  Diam.-~ 


PIG.    445.      DETAILS  OF  PUNCH  AND  DIB  FOR  FOURTH  DRAWiNG  OPERATION 


568 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


[Sec.  Ill 


The  case  is  then  trimmed  to  9}4  in.  long  in  a  lathe;  details  of  the 
trimming  cutter  and  holder  for  which  operation  are  shown  in  detail  in 
Figs.  448  and  449. 


^"TOOl  $TEBL(Harcfen  and Gn'nd)-^.    f  "kZ'/Z'^/™";:.. 


— --1  //  TOOL 
f-5.250 -,.STEEL 

H ^¥5.848" 


i^  '-CAST  IRON 


'Si  If 

■■■2.838 


l<::i-:-™ 


l< - •- /4^- 


2"-^  Inden+ 

FIG.    446.      PUNCH   AND   DIE    FOR   SECOND   INDENTING    OPERATION 


■:■-?#'■ 


1748  Diam. 


K • '-■ I8§ ■• -x 

FIG.    447.      PUNCH   AND    DIE   FOR   FIFTH   DRAWING   OPERATION 


Harden  and  Orind  /-'  >j4fti 


k Drill  and  Countersink 
T 


Trimming     Cu++ers 
FIG.    448.      DETAILS   OF   TRIMMING    CUTTER 


MACHINE  STEEL 


.kTap 


Trimming-Cu+f-er  Holder 


K- 9i >i 

FIG.    449.      DETAILS   OF  TRIMMING   CUTTER  HOLDER 


The  cases  are  then  annealed  as  before,  after  which  they  are  dipped  in 
the  sulphuric  acid  bath.  The  contents  of  the  bath  are  made  up  of  300 
gal.  water,  30  gal.  sulphuric  acid  and  40  lb.  bichromate  of  soda.  The 
mixture  is  kept  at  a  temperature  of  100  to  120  deg.  F.     A  detail  of  the 


Chap.  Ill] 


MAKING  THE  18-LB.  CARTRIDGE  CASE 


569 


tongs  used  to  dip  the  cases  in  the  bath  is  shown  in  Fig.  450.  It  will  be 
noted  that  this  time  the  cases  are  only  dipped  into  the  bath,  whereas 
before  they  were  allowed  to  remain  in  the  bath  suspended  in  a  basket. 


■>f -^-s■■ 

BRASS 
FIG.    450.      DETAILS   OF  TONGS 


---H 


It  will  be  observed  also  that  the  bath  mixture  is  different.  After  being 
removed  from  the  bath  they  are  plunged  into  water  at  a  temperature  of 
210  deg.  F.  and  then  quickly  transferred  to  the  air  dry. 


7.748Diam 


kOritf  and  Cqonhrsunk 


_^__^ 0.50'^ ^^^^-7i       • 

Ul^''A< 5/-->K/^'>H/^---fi7(?5--'->K--/(2^f'->{ 

K- -26^ •-■>< 

€TH  DRAV/ 

FIG.    451.       DETAILS   OF   PUNCH   AND   DIE   FOR   SIXTH   DRAWING   OPERATION 

The  next  operation,  the  sixth  drawing,  is  performed  in  the  Bliss 
reducing  press.  Details  of  the  punch  and  die  used  for  this  final  drawing 
are  shown  in  Fig.  451. 

The  case  is  now  transferred  to  a  lathe  and 
trimmed  to  11  ^H 6  in.  in  length  over  all.  The 
tools  used  for  this  operation  are  shown  in  detail 
in  Figs.  448  and  452.  The  case  is  then  dipped 
in  a  sulphuric-acid  bath.  The  tongs  shown  in 
Fig.  450  are  used  to  hold  the  case.  The  bath 
is  composed  of  a  mixture  of  sulphuric  acid  and 
water  in  the  proportion  of  300  gal.  of  water  to  2 
gal.  of  acid  and  is  kept  at  a  temperature  of  210 
deg.  F. 

The  next  operations  are  the  first  and  second 
headings  performed  in  a  Bliss  embossing  press, 
two  sets  of  heading  tools,  one  set  performing  the  first  and  the  other  the 
second  heading  operation.     In  front  of  the  press  is  the  stripper  which,  by 


FIG.    452.       DETAIL   OF 
TRIMMING   CUTTER 

This  machine  carries 


570 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


[Sec.  in 


Chap.  Ill] 


MAKING  THE  18-LB.  CARTRIDGE  CASE 


571 


means  of  two  latches,  raises  the  case  from  the  die  after  it  has  been 
headed.  Details  of  the  heading  post,  heading-post  die  ring,  slide  and 
pad  holder  and  heading  pads  are  shown  in  detail  in  Fig.  453. 


FIG.    454.      DETAIL  OF  TONGS 


\\<- 


1^:. 


-A 


I76S- 


^r 


-TOOL  STEEL 


K 5.3S0  ■■■>', 


\~K 


u 


CAST  IRON- 


"^ 


CAST  IRON 

(Harcfen'-'^ 

andGrincO 


"^699^-- 


l*^Taper 


6.998—- 
2"-^  Taper 


FIG.    455.      DETAIL  OF  FIRST  TAPERING  DIE 


I  Grind  Ddm?         g 

>-|i<  fo  Thin     >\-f^Hof9 
^    Edge... 


FIG.  456. 


K 5--H  ;. 

0.06S  Brass  Band  made  from  I 
Discarded  Cariridge  Cases^' 

DETAILS   OF   DIE   HOLDER   AND   REINFORCING 


The  case  is  then  taken  to  a  gas  furnace  and  mouth-annealed.  The 
furnace  holds  four  cases,  which  are  kept  revolving  by  means  of  pulleys 
driven  by  belts  at  the  lower  end  of  the  device. 


572 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 
//#' ->) 


[Sec.  Ill 


This  (jage  io  be  used  on  Bench         K//><  '^  L<;„..gf.._.!^:^.^ 

FIG.    457.      DETAIL  OF  GAGE  FOR  TAPERING   OPERATION 


^~'^       ^  STh'ds.U5.5m 


M 
if' 


II  Lv/zw^y/A^/y^^^y^^^Av/A 


>,    K. 


■Ili- 


■zssszaszzs. 


CAZTlROtt 


HIGH-SPEED  STEEL 


^k1^    1,0.104 


'^^       aoi5^¥l. 


4-^° 


-J- 


..>!  ^^ 


HIGH-SP'EED  STEEL 

End-Facing 

Tool 


H  Recessing  Cw+ter 


WHO 


a— J— ~ij — lJ| 


<3 


iz'\iz'f.--- Spanner  Wrench      \^...-.°......zl "-^■noss" 


r~r¥T 


il       HIGH-SPEED 
S+ep  Flange  ond  Cham-fering  Tool 


V 


£ 


=^^ 


U ?k". >l< i^\....^4J'  HIGH-SPEED 

Reamer  for  Primer  Hole 


Recesstng-Tool  Holder 


»         ■>)-^K  ,  „     \  HIGH-SPEED 

,-  -H- ^"^meBs'^-ieBs"-^    steel 

k ■■■■■S.47725"-- ->J 

Combina+ion  Drill  and  Coun+erbore 


FIG.    458.      DETAILS   OF   MACHINING   TOOLS 


Chap.  Ill] 


MAKING  THE  18-LB.  CARTRIDGE  CASE 


573 


Jets  of  gas  flame  are  allowed  to  play  against  the  outside  of  the  case 
until  it  becomes  low  red  hot,  after  which  it  is  removed  with  the  tongs, 
Fig.  454,  and  allowed  to  cool  in  air. 

The  next  operation  is  the  first  taper,  which  is  performed  in  a  BUss 
wiring  press.  A  detail  of  the  tapering  die  is  shown  in  Fig.  455.  The 
die  holder  and  the  reinforcing  ring  are  shown  in  detail  in  Fig.  456.  The 
reinforcing  ring  is  placed  on  the  inside  of  the  case  to  prevent  distortion 
during  the  tapering  operation. 

The  second  tapering,  which  is  the  next  operation,  is  performed  in  a 
press  similar  to  the  one  used  for  the  first  draw.  The  die  used  for  this 
operation  is  shown  in  Fig.  455,  the  other  tools  being  the  same  as  shown 


Gage  for  Leng+h  of 
Primer  Hole 


QSOO.^..-  Fq5^  .•  i<>j:k 
l<--2f5(7.'- -■■'■->!  a/if" 
^  Gage  for  Dep+h  +o Shoulder. 
-X     Under  Thread  in  Primer  Hole 


■4.135"--^    Qm 


Cage  for  Thickness 
of  Base  of  Case       Gage  for  Diame^r 
of  lop  Flange 

FIG.    459.       DETAILS   OF  INSPECTION   GAGES 


Gage  for  Setting  Thickness 
of  Base  of  Gage 


in  detail  in  Fig.  456.     The  gage  used  to  test  the  tapered  case  at  the 
machine  is  shown  in  Fig.  457. 

The  case  is  next  taken  to  a  Bullard  cartridge  lathe  where  the  head  is 
machined  and  the  case  itself  is  faced  to  length.  The  sequence  of  opera- 
tions performed  in  the  lathe  are: 

face  the  shell  to  length  with  the  cutter 
at  rear  end  of  the  machine 

4.  Tap 

5.  Ream  and  counterbore 


1.  Drill 

2.  Form  recess  and  face  boss  on  inside 
of  case 

3.  Face  flange  to  diameter  and  thickness 
— using  cross-slide,  at  the  same  time 


Details  of  the  tools  used  for  these  operations  are  shown  in  Fig.  458. 
The  case  is  now  given  its  first  inspection,  using  the  gages  shown  in 


574 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


[Sec.  Ill 


Chap.  Ill] 


MAKING  THE  18-LB.  CARTRIDGE  CASE 


575 


Fig.  459.     The  receiving  gage  for  testing  the  chamber  gage  is  shown  in 
Fig.  459(a).     For  the  inspection,  the  case  is  placed  on  a  long  bench  and 


K f-'— >f< /| >!<•  j'>\ 

1 


MACHINE 
STEEL: 


!  HIGH-SPEED  STEEL 
\  OiardenandGm 


^^^7"^  ^SefscrewJi'tong- 

FIG.    460.      DETAILS  OF  BROACH  AND   STAMP 


J^Tji^  Top  -for  Primer' 
|;  Hole 


■% — 

[  o 

0 

; 

~ 

•j^ 

1 

Jl^ 

o 

o 

"^iM-ir 


3 

^^    n 

\-^-7rL\ 

i^> 

" 

1    X 

tH 

i    / 

u^-,1 

/ 

r 

/■/•////Wy'y'My^/M 


^//mJ. 


|4 4 >K-— i--7---v.>i<i -i- ^^->^ 


C45r 


'//?/////////////////////// 


y////////////////////////>y>^M/}/////////M/  . 

FIG.    461.      DETAILS  OP  TAP  AND   HOLDING  FIXTURE 


a  gang  of  seven  inspectors  test  the  dimensions,  the  case  being  passed 
along  the  line  until  all  the  surfaces  have  been  examined.  With  a  gang 
of  seven  men  about  700  cases  are  inspected  per  hr. 


576 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


[Sec.  Ill 


The  case  is  then  conveyed  to  the  Bliss  No.  39B  marking  machine, 
the  hole  broached,  and  the  flange  stamped.  For  this  operation  the  case 
is  placed  on  a  steel  post  which  fits  on  the  inside,  the  case  resting  on  the 
upper  end.  The  fixture  is  made  to  slide  forward,  enabling  the  operator 
easily  to  place  the  case  in  position.  The  fixture  and  case  are  then  slid 
back  against  a  stop,  the  punch  is  made  to  descend,  and  the  hole  is 
broached  and  the  case  stamped.  Details  of  the  broach  and  stamping 
tool  are  shown  in  Fig.  460. 

The  next  operation  is  the  hand-tapping  of  the  primer  hole.  To  do 
this  the  fixture  is  fastened  to  the  bench,  and  after  being  tapped  the  opera- 
tor pushes  down  a  treadle  with  his  foot  and  forces  out  the  case. 

Details  of  the  tap  and  holding  fixture  are  shown  in  Fig.  461.  The 
case  is  then  given  a  final  wash  through  four  vats.     The  first  of  these 


TOOL  STEEL 
.14  Th'ds.  miiworfh (Hardened) 


!r 


0.155-^  {< 


5TEEL(Harden  and  Grind) ^ 


FIG,    462.      DETAILS  OF   GAGES 


X.  u: 


k 156- 

TOOL  STEEL(Harden  andOrind) 


consists  of  a  mixture  in  the  proportion  of  8 
oz.  lye  (Fords  alkali  special)  to  1  gal.  of 
water;  the  second,  hot  water  at  210  deg.  F.; 
the  third,  a  solution  of  4  oz.  of  sulphuric 
acid  to  1  gal.  of  water  and,  finally,  in  a  vat 
of  hot  water  at  210  deg.  F. 

The  inspection  of  the  tapped  and 
broached  holes  in  the  head,  and  also  of  the  flange,  is  the  next  opera- 
tion, using  the  gages  shown  in  Fig.  462.  The  average  for  this  opera- 
tion is  one  man  120  cases  per  hr.  The  case  is  then  transferred  to  the 
Government  inspection  department  where  it  is  again  inspected,  using 
gages  similar  to  those  shown  in  Fig.  459. 

Several  cartridge  cases  have  been  tested  for  hardness  with  the  Shore 
scleroscope  and  the  average  was  found  to  be 


At  flange 45-55 

y4^  in.  from  flange 40-50 

2  in.  from  flange 40-50 


5  in.  from  flange 35-40 

10  in.  from  flange 30-35 


The  average  weight  of  a  finished  case  is  3  lb.  2  drams,  and  the  contents 
94.80  cu.  in. 

It  might  be  of  interest  to  know  what  weight  is  lost  by  the  case  while 
it  is  passing  through  the  various  stages  of  manufacture.  For  this  purpose 
the  company  took  about  50  specimens  at  different  times  and  the  average 
obtained  was  as  follows: 


Chap.  Ill]  MAKING  THE  18-LB.  CARTRIDGE  CASE  577 

Lb.         Oz,  Drams 

Average  weight  of  disk 3  11  8 

Average  weight  before  first  trim 3  11  1}^ 

Average  after  first  trim 3  9  llj^ 

Average  before  second  trim 3  9  5^ 

Average  after  second  trim 3  7  12 

Average  before  machining  head 3  7  12 

Average  after  machining  head 3  0"  9}4 

After  the  Government  inspection,  those  cases  that  are  accepted  are 
packed  into  boxes  the  covers  of  which  are  fastened  down  and  marked 
on  the  outside.     They  are  now  ready  for  shipping. 

DRAWING   18-LB.    CARTRIDGE    CASES    ON    BULLDOZERS    AND    FROG 

PLANERS 

The  Angus  shops  of  the  Canadian  Pacific  undertook  the  manufacture 
of  18-lb.  cartridge  cases  along  Unes  quite  dissimilar  from  those  employed 
by  the  American  Locomotive  Co.,  employing  bulldozers  and  frog  planers 
for  all  operations  other  than  those  of  heading  and  indenting.  This 
unusual  use  of  apparently  unsuitable  machines  for  accurate  press  opera- 
tions proved  highly  successful  and  is  one  which  could  be  profitably  copied 
by  any  plant  engaged  in  the  production  of  cartridge  cases.  The  Angus 
shops  attained  a  production  rate  of  3,000  cases  per  day  with  a  work 
force  which  had  no  previous  experience  in  brass  drawing  or  in  work  of  a 
similar  nature. 

Arrangement  of  the  Cartridge  Department. — A  truck-shop  building 
was  cleaned  out  and  made  over  into  the  cartridge  department.  The 
arrangement  of  machines,  inspecting  room,  pickUng  and  washing  tanks 
and  other  equipment  are  shown  in  Fig.  463. 

A  bit  of  dust  or  grit  on  one  of  the  drawing  dies  or  plungers  makes  an 
ugly  scratch  in  the  case,  and  it  was  considered  more  advisable  to  keep 
this  shop  free  from  smoke  and  dust  than  to  try  to  avoid  transportation. 
Therefore,  as  the  nearest  available  building  for  the  annealing  furnaces 
was  the  blacksmith  shop  across  the  midway,  this  shop  was  used  for  the 
drawing  operations,  and  the  indenting  and  heading  presses  were  also 
installed  there. 

List  of  Operations. — The  operations  as  performed  on  cartridge  cases 
at  the  Angus  shops  are  as  follows: 

1.  Blank  10.  Anneal  19.  Second  trim 

2.  Cup  11.  Third  draw  20.  Head 

3.  Anneal  12.  Anneal  21.  Semi-anneal 

4.  First  draw  13.  Fourth  draw  22.  First  taper 

5.  Anneal  14.  Anneal  23.  Second  taper 

6.  Second  draw  15.  Fifth  draw  24.  Head  turn 

7.  First  indent  16.  First  trim  25.  Parallel  cut 

8.  Anneal  17.  Anneal  26.  Stamp 

9.  Second  indent  18.  Sixth  draw  27.  Shop  inspection 
37 


578 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


[Sec.  Ill 


Chap.  Ill]  MAKING  THE  18-LB.  CARTRIDGE  CASE  579 

There  are  six  drawing  and  seven  annealing  operations;  the  cupping 
and  first  four  draws  are  handled  on  bulldozers,  and  the  last  two  draws, 
on  frog  planers.  The  round  blank  is  punched  out  of  strips  of  sheet 
brass,  and  each  disk  weighs  3  lb.  9)^  oz.  at  the  start.  By  the  tim€  it 
has  become  a  finished  case,  it  has  lost  IJ^o  lb.  due  to  trimming,  the 
finished  weight  being  2.49  pounds. 

All  stages  in  the  process  are  represented  in  Fig.  464.  The  round, 
flat  blank  punched  out  of  strip  brass  is  shown  at  A ;  the  cup  made  directly 
from  this  is  shown  at  B,  and  C  and  D  represent  the  first  and  second 
draws  respectively.  The  indented  case  is  shown  at  E,  the  indenting 
being  performed  after  the  second  draw.  The  third,  fourth,  fifth  and  sixth 
draws  are  shown  at  F,  G,  H  and  7.  At  J  is  the  headed  cartridge  case, 
while  K  represents  the  completely  tapered  case  with  its  base  machined 


tflllllll 


FIG.  464.   THE  EVOLUTION  OF  A  CARTRIDGE  CASE 

and  ready  for  the  primer,  which,  of  course,  is  not  furnished  at  this  shop 
nor  attached  until  the  complete  cartridge  is  in  government  hands. 

Motor-driven  Machines. — The  bulldozers  and  planers  are  all  motor- 
driven.  There  are  four  of  each  of  these  machines,  one  of  the  bulldozers 
being  provided  with  three  sets  of  plungers  and  dies  and  the  others  having 
but  one  set  each.  On  the  bulldozers,  the  die  is  mounted  on  a  special 
crosshead,  and  the  plunger,  on  the  rail.  On  the  planers,  the  punch  is 
mounted  on  the  rail,  and  the  die-holder,  on  an  angle-block  on  the  table. 

Little  was  known  at  the  start  about  the  pressures  required  to  accom- 
plish the  various  drawing  and  heading  operations.  To  throw  light  on 
this  subject,  experiments  were  made  with  brass  disks  of  the  same  compo- 
sition as  the  cartridge  cases,  the  effect  of  pressure  upon  them  being  studied. 
The  results  of  these  experiments  are  shown  in  Fig.  465,  and  they  served  as 
the  basis  for  calculations  when  the  presses  were  built. 


580 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


[Sec.  Ill 


0.300 
0.?50 


0.200 


EG  150 


TEST  ON  ROLLED  BRASS  DISK 

-P=  Total  Pressure  in  Ib.- 

0="  Original  Diamefer 

P=I3,000D^^+380DI 


O.IOO 


b  0.050 


0         10        20        50       40        50        60        70        80       90       100 

l"Disk 
0         IQ       40       60        80       100       120       140      160      180      200 
2"Disk 
Load  in  Thousands  of  Pounds 
FIG.    465.      CURVES  SHOWING  RELATIONS  BETWEEN  STRESS  AND  STRAIN  IN  CARTRIDGE 

MATERIAL 


ro 
<J-\ 

?° 

0.580" 

SAME  LUBRICANT 

ANNEAL  FOR  55  MIN. 

AT6S0°C. 

CUPPIN6 


4.085^ 


3.5  R 


7---'0.42"R 


»\  ■ 

J'  ' 


LUBRICANT: 


^0379" 


0378" 


TALLOW  AND  OIL  ON  WORK 

SOAP  AND  WATER 

ON  TOOLS 

ANNEAL  FOR  35  MIN  AT  650  C 

IVDRAV/ 


SAME 
LUBRICANT 


aVDRAW 


3845- 


-'TBI} 

no  LUBRICATION. 
ANNEAL  FOR  BO  MM  AT  650  C 
INDENT 


NO  LUBRICATION 
ANNEAL  FOR 35 MIN  AT  650  C 
^•'J'DRAVt 


3.5  R 
-5.699':-] ---•:, 


'0.447 


SAME  LUBRICANT 
ANNEAL  FOR  30  MIN  AT  650  C 


FIG.  466. 


4VDRAW 
BULLDOZER    OPERATIONS    ON    CARTRIDGE    CASE 


Chap.  Ill] 


MAKING  THE  18-LB.  CARTRIDGE  CASE 


581 


»lonfi9dwoi9ion  1'^     t-^- yfS ^*j^^- 


r^ 

^m 

^-^ 

^^*': 

:    A 

A    1 

■t  \    \ 

^■?? 

;->■< 

'^^ 

S^ 

"^ 

§^ 

i  u 

:i  : 

ijk 

■-i 

W* *..9-*....>U- 


582  CARTRIDGE  CASES  [Sec.  Ill 

The  Bulldozers. — Owing  to  their  Hmited  stroke,  bulldozers  are  em- 
ployed only  through  the  fourth  drawing  operation.  The  machine  for 
the  cupping  operation  is  equipped  with  three  sets  of  plungers  and  dies, 
the  center  set  caring  for  the  cupping  of  the  disk,  while  the  two  outside 
sets  handle  the  first  draw. 

A  recess  is  provided  in  front  of  the  cupping  die  to  hold  the  flat  disk 
while  the  plunger  advances,  but  no  such  provision  is  necessary  for  the 
drawing  operations,  as  the  cup,  or  shell,  is  simply  slipped  over  the  plunger 
while  it  is  in  its  withdrawn  position. 

As  the  work  passes  through  the  dies,  the  pieces  pass  into  galvanized 
iron  conductor  pipes  which  guide  them  to  the  back  of  the  machine,  where 
they  roll  down  a  chute  into  boxes.  As  each  case  passes  through  the  die, 
it  pushes  forward  those  ahead  of  it,  causing  them  to  climb  the  slight  in- 
cline in  the  pipes. 

Sectional  views  of  the  case  after  the  cupping  and  the  four  drawing 
operations  performed  on  the  bulldozers  are  shown  in  Fig.  466.  Fig. 
467  shows  details  of  the  plungers  and  dies  used  for  making  18-lb.  British 
cartridge  cases,  the  first  five  of  which  are  used  on  the  bulldozers  and  the 
last  two  on  the  frog  planers. 

The  Planers. — Frog  planers  are  used  for  the  last  two  draws  for  two 
reasons — -first,  they  have  a  longer  stroke  than  the  bulldozers;  second, 
they  are  more  accurate.  A  special  head  is  mounted  on  the  planer  cross- 
rail,  from  which  the  feed  screws  are  removed,  and  upon  this  the  plunger 
holder  is  secured,  the  plunger  fitting  into  it  on  a  standard  taper.  The 
die  is  held  upon  a  heavily  ribbed  cast-iron  angle-block  which  is  in  one 
piece  with  the  frame  casting.  The  whole  thing  weighs  some  four  or 
five  tons  and  serves  not  only  to  secure  the  die-holder,  but  also  to  prevent 
the  table  from  rising. 

At  first  thought,  the  natural  plan  would  apparently  be  to  mount  the 
die-holder  upon  the  cross-rail  and  the  plunger  upon  the  angle-block. 
There  is  a  good  reason  for  the  opposite  procedure,  however,  since  any 
lift  that  occurs  during  the  operation  will  undoubtedly  take  place  in  the 
planer  table  and  not  in  the  cross-rail,  which  is  a  rigid  member.  The 
plunger,  on  account  of  its  long  overhang,  would  be  thrown  out  consider- 
ably by  a  few  thousandths  of  an  inch  rise  of  the  table;  whereas  the  die, 
having  a  thickness  of  but  2  to  23^  in.,  is  not  perceptibly  affected,  as 
evidenced  by  the  fact  that  the  thickness  of  shell  in  these  cartridge  cases 
does  not  vary  over  one-thousandth  of  an  inch. 

Sectional  views  of  the  case  after  the  two  drawing  operations  performed 
on  the  frog  planers  are  shown  in  Fig.  468. 

Speeds  of  Bulldozers  and  Planers. — ^The  bulldozer  which  handles 
the  cupping  and  first  draw  has  a  working  stroke  of  24  in.,  makes  240 
strokes  per  hour  and  has  a  speed  on  the  effective  stroke  of  183^  ft.  per 
min.     The  bulldozer  on  the  third  draw  has  a  20-in.  stroke  and  makes 


Chap.  Ill] 


MAKING  THE  18-LB.  CARTRIDGE  CASE 


583 


240  strokes  per  hour,  having  an  effective  speed  on  the  working  stroke  of 
163^  ft.  per  min.  The  planer  on  the  fifth  draw,  with  a  stroke  of  37J^ 
in.,  runs  at  an  average  of  130  strokes  per  hour  and  an  average  speed  on 
the  effective  working  stroke  of  11  ft.  per  min. 


\^ -1.189- -->\ 


0.447 


SAME 
LUBRICANT 


ANNEAL  FOR  30  HIN. 
AT6S0X. 


SAME 
LUBRICANT 


CLEAN  IN  CAUSTIC  ACID 
DRY  IN  SAW  DUST 


S'^^DRAH  I^J  TRIMMING  6VDRAV/  Z>»>TRIMMIN6 

FIG.    468.      FROG   PLANER   AND   TRIMMING   OPERATIONS 


Galvanized- 


FIG.    469.       LUBRICANT   TANK-TABLE 


Tote-Boxes  and  Lubricant  Tank -tables. — The  cases  are  transported 
in  tote  boxes  holding  about  24  cases.  Four  hundred  cases  are  considered 
a  "lot."     To  this,  10  per  cent,  is  added  as  an  allowance  for  loss  and  two 


584 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


[Sec.  Ill 


more  cases  are  added  to  each  lot  for  the  firing  and  proof  tests,  so  that  the 
total  ''lot"  number  as  it  originally  starts  through  the  factory  is  442. 

A  convenient  combination  of  work  table  and  lubricant  tank  is  shown 
in  Fig.,  469.  It  consists  of  a  wooden  table,  containing  a  galvanized  iron- 
lined  lubricant  tank  in  which  the  shells  are  stood  until  the  operator  is 
ready  for  them,  thus  insuring  a  good  coating  of  lubricant.  These  tables 
are  easily  portable  and  are  provided  with  covers  which  prevent  dirt  from 
getting  into  the  tanks  when  not  in  use. 

n 


'LJ  L-J  I— lUUL 

RECORDERS 


^PYROMETER 


^PYROMETER 


_DOUBLE__ 
'FURNACE 


^PYROMETER 
FIG.    470.       ARRANGEMENT    OF    THE    HEATING    FURNACES 


Annealing  and  Semi-annealing,  Etc. — After  every  draw  the  cases 
are  annealed  in  order  to  counteract  the  hardening  effect  of  the  draw  and 
to  secure  the  ductility  required  for  subsequent  operations.  This  is 
performed  in  oil-fired  furnaces  in  which  the  temperature  is  maintained 
at  650  deg.  F.  The  arrangement  of  the  heating  furnaces  is  shown  in  Fig. 
470. 

For  the  first  seven  annealing  operations,  the  cases  are  placed  directly 
in  the  furnaces  in  special  annealing  baskets  constructed  of  angle  iron 
frames  with  heavy  wire  cloth  lining  on  two  sides  and  further  reinforced 
by  angle  iron  struts. 

After  the  cupping,  first,  second  and  third  drawing  operations,  the 


Chap.  Ill] 


MAKING  THE  18-LB.  CARTRIDGE  CASE 


585 


cases  remain  in  the  annealing  furnace  35  min. ;  after  the  first  and  second 
indenting  operations,  20  min.;  and  after  the  fourth  draw,  first  and  second 
trim,  which  follow  the  fifth  and  sixth  draws,  30  min. 

A  heat  treatment,  the  eighth,  known  as  ''semi-annealing,"  is  per- 
formed just  before  the  cases  are  tapered.  In  this  operation,  which  lasts 
for  but  35  sec,  the  cases  do  not  come  in  direct  contact  with  the  flames, 
but  are  placed  inside  of  incandescent  cast-iron  tubes  extending  into  the 
furnace. 

After  coming  from  each  machine  operation  in  which  a  lubricant  is 
used,  the  cartridge  cases  are  washed  in  boiling  lye  water  to  avoid  excess- 
ive scale  and  smoke  during  the  annealing.  In  addition,  each  batch  of 
cases  coming  from  the  annealing  ovens  must  be  pickled  to  remove  the 
scale,  which  would  injure  the  dies.  The  acid  bath  for  this  purpose 
consists  of  2J^  parts  sulphuric  acid  to  20  parts  of  water. 

For  dipping  the  product  in  the  washing  tanks,  in  which  the  casfes  are 
freed  from  the  lubricant  before  they  go  to  the  annealing  ovens,  angle-iron 


FIG.    471.       SECOND    TAPERING    DIE 

washing  baskets  of  a  type  similar  to  those  employed  in  the  annealing 
furnaces  are  employed. 

Very  substantial  wooden  dipping  boxes  are  used  in  the  acid  tanks. 
These  are  made  out  of  2-in.  stock  and  two  of  them  lengthwise  fill  one  acid 
tank.     They  are  handled  by  means  of  air  hoists  from  swinging  jibs. 

Pressing  the  Taper. — One  of  the  most  interesting  operations  in  the 
entire  process  of  making  cartridge  cases  is  that  of  tapering.  This  is  done 
on  a  bulldozer,  and  requires  two  steps,  both  of  which  are  completed  on 
the  same  machine.  The  first  taper  is  given  the  case  in  one  die,  after 
which  it  is  further  tapered  and  finished  in  the  second  die.  The  case  is 
inserted  in  each  of  these  dies  by  hand  and  is  pressed  home  by  means  of 
the  cross-head  of  the  bulldozer.  It  is  ejected  after  the  stroke  is  completed 
by  the  return  of  the  cross-head  through  the  medium  of  the  pull-back 
rods,  which  actuate  the  ejector  plugs.  Correct  annealing  for  this  opera- 
tion is  a  very  important  matter,  and  unless  this  is  assured,  there  is  a 
tendency  for  the  case  to  wrinkle.  A  detail  drawing  of  the  second  tapering 
die  is  shown  in  Fig.  471. 


586 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


[Sec.  Ill 


Some  interesting  tests  have  been  made  upon  the  pressure  required 
to  perform  the  tapering  operations  on  a  bulldozer.  For  the  first  opera- 
tion, to  press  the  cartridge  flush  with  the  die  requires  an  average  of  7,900 
lb.  The  second  tapering  operation  exceeded  this  greatly,  averaging 
between  19,000  and  20,000  lb.  total  thrust.     The  stripping  of  the  tapered 


l^acing  Tool 


Tool 


"-Tf 


l,Drill 


5,  Infernal 
Necking  Tool 


E,Sfep 

Counferbore 


3,Ream 
Thread 


4,Tap  Yfilh 
'mp.  ' 


Collapsing  Tap 

1^  FIG.    472.      TURRET   LATHE    SET-UP    FOR    FINISHING   BASE    AND    PRIMER   HOLE 


cartridge  also  takes  considerable  pressure,  this  varying  from  5,320  to 
11,000  lb. 

After  the  tapering  operation,  the  cartridge  case  is  sent  to  the  turret 
lathes  so  that  the  base  and  primer  hole  may  be  machined.  The  set-up 
for  this  work  on  Bertram  turrets  is  shown  in  Fig.  472.  The  production 
for  this  operation  on  these  machines  averages  eight  cases  per  hr. 


Breech -Block 
"^ype  Threads 


-yr 

Special  Chuck 


FIG.    473.      ENGINE    LATHE    SET   UP    FOR   CUT-OFF    AND    PARALLEL   TURNING 


The  next  operation  is  known  as  "parallel  turning."  It  consists  of 
cutting  off  the  open  end  of  the  shell  to  proper  length  and  also  of  thinning 
down  the  thickness  of  wall  on  the  inside  so  that  the  hole  will  pass  a  limit- 
gage  test.  This  operation  is  performed  at  the  rate  of  30  per  hr.  on  a 
modified  engine  lathe  equipped  with  a  special  tool  post  and  chuck,  as 
shown  in  Fig.  473.     Both  the  base  and  open-end  turning  will  be  done  in 


Chap.  Ill] 


MAKING  THE  18-LB.  CARTRIDGE  CASE 


587 


the  near  future  on  Bullard  cartridge  lathes,  which  handle  the  two  opera- 
tions simultaneously  at  the  rate  of  from  20  to  25  cases  per  hr. 

An  ingenious  and  time-saving  vise  is  shown  in  Fig.  474.  It  is  used 
at  the  benches  for  retapping  the  primer  hole,  which  is  purposely  left  a 
little  full  in  size  and  brought  to  full  standard  by  means  of  a  hand  tap. 
This  vise  holds  the  case  on  its  taper  by  friction  and  is  fitted  with  a  quick 
ejector  operated  by  foot  power. 


O 


^fi 


~v 


FIG.    474.       SPECIAL  BENCH   VISE    FOR   HOLDING    CARTRIDGE    CASES 


Indenting  and  Heading  Operations. — The  indenting  operation  is 
performed  on  a  285-ton  station-type  hydraulic  press,  a  machine,  incident- 
ally, which  was  designed  and  built  at  the  Angus  shops. 

The  cartridge  cases  are  headed  by  means  of  three  800-ton  hydraulic 
presses,  also  built  at  Angus.  These  are  shown  in  Fig.  475  and  are  oper- 
ated by  two  large  hydraulic  accumulators  working  at  1,500  lb.  per  sq.  in. 
pressure. 

Description  of  the  800-ton  Heading  Press. — The  presses  used  for 
heading  are  built  according  to  the  design  shown  in  Fig.  475.     The  cast 
iron  plunger  of  37  in.  diameter,  shown  at  A,  works  within  a  steel  cylinder 
casting  R.     Water  from  the  accumulator  at  a  pressure  of  1,500  lb.  per 


588 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


[Sec.  Ill 


FIG.    475.      SECTIONS    AND    PLAN    OF   FOUR-STATION    800-TON   HEADING    PRESS 


Chap.  Ill] 


MAKING  THE  18-LB.  CARTRIDGE  CASE 


589 


sq.  in.  is  admitted  and  discharged  through  the  cylinder  space  G  by  action 
of  the  three-way  valve  F,  which  is  operated  by  the  foot  lever  E.  (The 
press  is  set  partly  underground  so  that  this  lever  is  at  a  convenient  height 
for  the  operator's  foot.)  An  equalizing  passage  H  is  cored  in  the  plunger 
in  order  to  make  the  area  of  the  8-in.  guide  stem  effective.  A  dial  table 
C,  mounted  above  a  stationary  table  ikf,  is  arranged  to  rotate  upon  a 
center  pivot  P.     This  table  carries  four  "stations,"  shown  at  S,  T,  U 


^  Wire  Handle  \     I        r""-^-^  ^ 
A"" 


■i 


Material-  Tempered  Cast  Steel 
FULLERIN6  BLOCK 


^ si' ^ 

Too/ Steel  hardened  all  over 


-—  5'  - 
TOP  TOOL 


4 


[<i>1  Tool 


U-/f>l 

u. :,o'- ->j 

FIG.    476.       DETAILS  OF  HEADING  PUNCH  AND  COMPOSITE  DIES  SHOWING  LAMINATIONS 


and  y.  The  rotating  table  is  notched  for  indexing,  which  is  accomplished 
through  the  table-operating  lever  Z),  which  forces  a  hardened-steel 
wedge  into  the  locating  notch  on  the  moving  table. 

In  the  main  sectional  view,  the  station  Y  is  shown  directly  under- 
neath the  punch  B  in  correct  position  for  heading  a  case.  The  station 
aS  is  in  the  fourth  position,  in  which  the  headed  case  is  ejected.  A  4j^-in. 
hydraulic  cylinder  L  (shown  more  clearly  in  the  minor  section)  is  located 


590 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


[Sec.  Ill 


immediately  beneath  this  position.  An  operating  lever  J  actuates  the 
three-way  valve  K  which  controls  the  plunger  in  the  ejecting  cylinder. 
When  this  is  caused  to  rise,  it  pushes  the  cartridge  case  upward  until 
the  flange  of  the  case  is  caught  by  the  spring  jaws  of  the  stripping 
device  0. 

An  enlarged  view  of  the  station  tool-block  is  shown  in  Fig.  476,  and 
reference  to  this  will  be  helpful  before  taking  up  the  description  of  the 
heading  operation.  The  die  consists  essentially  of  three  parts — the  base 
ring  F,  which  is  bolted  within  the  table-station  block  and  which  does 
not  come  in  contact  with  the  brass  cartridge  case;  the  upper  ring  E, 
which  takes  the  radial  pressure  caused  by  the  heading  operation;  and  the 
internal  die  B,  the  top  of  which  conforms  to  the  shape  of  the  inside  of  the 
cartridge  base. 

During  the  heading  operation  on  the  station  V,  the  base  of  the  die 
Bj  indicated  at  D,  rests  upon  the  top  of  the  37-in.  plunger,  which  raises 
the  entire  dial  table.  While  this  is  in  its  high  position,  the  ejecting 
plunger  under  the  station  S  is  brought  into  action,  pushing  the  die  B 
upward  within  the  base  ring.  It  will  be  noted  that  there  is  a  possible 
movement  of  53^  in.  for  this,  which  is  enough  to  eject  the  finished  case 
into  the  stripping  device. 

At  the  station  T,  Fig.  476,  is  the  loading  position.  Here  the  cases 
are  inserted  into  the  composite  die,  being  hammered  down  with  a  block 
of  wood,  when  necessary.     The  station  JJ  is  an  idle  position. 

The  Process  of  Heading. — The  process  of  heading  as  done  at  Angus, 
is  shown  in  Fig.  477.     The  case  as  it  comes  to  the  heading  press  is  shown 


FIG.  477. 


B  C 

STAGES    IN    CASE-HEADING   THE    18-LB.   BRASS   CARTRIDGE   CASE 


at  A.  The  first  pressing  operation,  shown  at  B,  partially  heads  the 
cartridge,  but  leaves  a  depression  in  its  central  part,  as  shown  at  E. 
This  is  not  the  final  shape  of  the  headed  case,  the  depression  being  pro- 
vided in  order  to  spread  the  metal  and  make  the  operation  easier.  The 
third  step,  in  which  this  top  surface  is  smoothed  out  with  a  fullering  die, 
is  shown  at  C.  After  the  press  has  performed  the  operation  B,  the  table 
is  lowered  and-the  fullering  die  is  inserted  under  the  stationary  punch,  it 
being  provided  with  a  recess  that  fits  the  protruding  part  of  the  latter 
and  centers  the  fullering  block.  It  is  held^  here  by  hand  while  the  work 
is 'given  another  squeeze,  which  produces  the  smooth,  flat  surface  shown 
at'  C. 


Chap.  Ill] 


MAKING  THE  18-LB.  CARTRIDGE  CASE 


591 


Four  men  are  required  to  operate  one  of  these  presses — the  man  in 
charge  of  the  gang  operates  the  machine  levers;  one  of  the  others  takes 
care  of  the  loading  station;  another  holds  the  fullering  die  in  the  pressing 


-3i54S'- 


\^---4.EL ->l 

NO  LUBRICANT 
SEMI- ANNEAL  FOR  5S  SEC. 
IN  GAS  FURNACE 


LUBRICANT 
NEAT- FOOT  OIL 
IV  TAPERING 


HEADING 
FIG.    478. 


LUBRICANT 
NEAT-FOOT  0/L 
ZHPTAPERING 


HEADING   AND   TAPERING   OPEBATIONS 


A  B 

FIG.    479.      PUNCH   AND   DIE    USED   IN  INDENTING 


Coniraciors  Tnifials  or- 
recognized  Trade  Mark 


jL.r0.02  R. 


N0365"„ 
'L0.3S0 


Dah  of  Manufacture. 


Capacify  97  cubic  inches 


14  Threads  per  inch 
L  0.6ZS" 


25^ 


X 


LIGHT  SCREW  PRESS 
CLEAN  WTH  SAND  ON  MANDRIL 

STAMP  I Ne 

FIG.   480 


Taper  Q  04066  per  inch  on  diameter  [_^^^/»^ 

HII.60"  '"''"< 

1 11.56 


operation  and  a  third  helper  takes  the  extracted  shell  from  the  stripper 
and  places  it  in  the  tote  box.  The  entire  time  for  the  operation  is 
approximately  IJ^  min. 


592 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


[Sec.  Ill 


The  full  capacity  of  the  press  appears  to  be  required  to  take  care  of 
the  leading  operations. 

Details  of  the  cartridge  case  after  the  heading  operation  and  after 
the  first  and  second  tapering  operations  are  given  in  Fig.  478. 

The  punch  and  die  used  in  indenting  are  shown  in  Fig.  479.  At  A 
is  the  section  of  the  shell  as  it  comes  to  the  press,  while  B  shows  the  indent- 
ing operation  completed  and  also  the  construction  of  the  punch  and  com- 
pound die,  which  are  quite  similar  to  those  used  for  heading. 

The  Hydraulic  Accumulators. — These  accumulators  consist  of  sheet- 
iron  tanks  filled  with  pieces  of  scrap  steel  and  the  like  and  mounted  on 
cast-iron  cylinders  which  slide  up  and  down  on  cast-iron  rams  mounted 
on  substantial  bases. 


DEFECTIVE  WORK  REPORT. 


Firm. 
LOT 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


Total  Examined 


RECTIFIABLE  High  to  Chamber  gauge 

Low  Primer  Hole 
High  to  Plug  Gauge 
High  to  Length 

Low  to  Horse-Shoe  Gauge  for  body 
Low  to  Plug  Gauge 
High  Thickness  of  Metal  at  mouth 
High  Thickness  of  flange 
Toolmarks  on  body  (slight) 

Rectified  &  Passed 

NOT  RECTIFIABLE     High  Primer  Hole 

High  Diameter  top  of  threads 
Low  Thickness  of  Metal  at  mouth 
Low  Thickness  of  flange 
Low  to  Length  (over  .05") 
Toolmarks  in  body  {deep\ 
Flaws 

Spilly  Metal 
Sprfntaneous  Splits 
Damaged  threads 


Rejected 


FIG.    481.       WAR    DEPARTMENT    INSPECTOR'S    REPORT.       THIS    SHOWS    THE    DIFFERENCE 
BETWEEN   "RECTIFIABLE"   AND   " NONRECTIFIABLE "   ERRORS 

The  completed  cartridge  cases  (see  detail  Fig.  480),  notwithstanding 
the  rigid  shop  inspection,  must  pass  an  exceedingly  severe  government 
inspection  and  test  before  final  acceptance,  and  the  remarkably  few 
rejected  cartridge  cases  speak  volumes  for  the  excellence  of  the  work- 
manship in  the  Angus  shops  and  the  efficiency  of  bulldozers  and  frog 
planers  in  precise  drawing  operations. 

Methods  of  Inspecting  and  Testing. — The  government  inspectors 
carefully  search  for  defective  shells,  as  a  flaw  in  one  of  these  would  cause 


Chap.  Ill] 


MAKING  THE  18-LB.  CARTRIDGE  CASE 


593 


much  injury  to  a  field  gun.  One  of  the  defective  work  reports  is  shown  in 
Fig.  481  and  will  serve  to  illustrate  the  nature  of  the  defects  as  they  are 
classified.  Some  of  them  are  rectifiable  and  others  cause  the  immediate 
and  absolute  rejection  of  the  case. 

Two  cases  out  of  every  400  are  subjected  to  government  tests,  which 
are  known  as  the  proof  and  firing  tests.  The  former  is  conducted  by 
subjecting  the  shell  to  explosions,  the  pressures  of  which  are  carefully 
measured.  It  may  be  wondered  how  the  intensity  of  an  explosion  can 
be  measured.  This  is  very  simply  done  by  the  arrangement  shown  in 
Figs.  482  and  483,  which  is  a  device  purposely  constructed  for  finding 
such  pressure. 

A  steel  cylinder  A  is  provided  with  a  cap  B  in  which  the  piston  C  fits 
snugly,  its  top  surface  being  exposed  to  the  air  through  the  cap  B  and 


FIG.  482  fig;  483 

FIGS.    482   AND   483.      PROOF-PRESSURE    TESTING    DEVICE 


its  lower  surface  resting  upon  the  soft  copper  plug  D.  In  making  the 
proof  test,  this  apparatus  is  placed  inside  of  the  cordite  within  the  car- 
tridge case.  When  the  charge  is  exploded,  the  gas  pressure,  being  equal 
in  all  directions,  presses  upon  the  plunger  C,  Fig.  482,  with  a  certain  force 
per  square  inch,  which  causes  it  to  compress  the  copper  disk  D,  which 
has  been  carefully  turned  to  a  definite  size  and  the  resistance  of  which 
to  compression  is  known.  With  these  factors  constant,  measuring  the 
increase  in  the  diameter  of  the  disk  gives  a  definite  measure  of  the  inten- 
sity of  the  explosion  pressure. 

Tensile  Strength  of  the  Brass. — To  stand  up  against  this  severe 
service,  the  material  used  for  making  cartridge  cases  must  be  selected 
with  great  care.  Some  typical  tests  of  the  strength  of  this  annealed 
brass  are  given  below. 

38 


594  CARTRIDGE  CASES  [Sec.  Ill 


Tensile  strength, 

tons 

Yield,  tons 

Elongation 

in  2  in.,  per  cent. 

20.1 

5.45 

67.0 

20.1 

.      6.38 

70.0 

20.5 

4.37 

62.0 

20.6 

6.02 

58.5 

Piece  Prices  on  Machine  Operations. — All  of  the  work  on  cartridge 
cases  at  Angus  is  done  on  a  piece-work  basis.  Some  of  the  pieces  are 
reproduced  below  and  show  that  even  with  machines  far  different  from 
those  that  would  be  considered  suitable  for  this  purpose,  an  excessive 
labor  cost  may  be  avoided. 

Cupping — One  operator  and  helper.  Helper  to  fill  tank  with  disks 
and  13  boxes  of  34  at  the  rear  of  machine  and  return  empties.  Per  100 
—27c. 

First  Draw — One  operator  and  two  helpers.  (Double  operation.) 
Helper  to  fill  tanks  with  cups,  12  boxes  of  36,  one  box  of  10  and  return 
empties.     Per  100— 21c. 

Trimming — Operator  only.     Per  100 — 18c. 

Buffing — Operator  only.     Per  100 — 10c. 

Tapering — Oil  and  taper  (first  and  second  complete).  Operator  and 
helper.     Per  100— 52c. 

Piece  Prices  for  Handling  and  Washing. — Even  the  operations  per- 
formed by  laborers  are  worked  out  and  paid  for  on  a  piece-work  basis, 
some  of  the  prices  being  as  follows: 

Wash — In  lye  or  water.     Per  100 — 10c. 

Wash— In  acid.     Per  100— 20c. 

Trucking — To  or  from  wash  tubs  to  machine  (in  cartridge  depart- 
ment).    Per  lot  of  442— 20c. 

Trucking — To  or  from  wash  tubs  to  annealing  ovens  (blacksmith 
shop).     Per  lot  of  442— 45c. 

Annealing  Ovens — Operator  and  four  helpers.  Remove  from  boxes 
and  replace  after  annealed  ready  for  trucking.     Per  100 — 33c. 


CHAPTER    IV 

MAKING  THE  4.5-IN.  HOWITZER  CARTRIDGE  CASE^ 

The  Worcester  Pressed  Steel  Co.,  Worcester,  Mass.,  undertook  to 
furnish  the  British  Government  with  4.5-in.  British  howitzer  cartridge 


Plan  of  Base 


*  Con  frqchr's  IniHals  or  RecQ^nized  Trade  /^ark 
4-  "iear  of Mcinufacivre 

FIG.    484.      DETAIL    OF   4.5-IN.    HOWITZER   CARTRIDGE    CASE 


FIG.    485.      VARIOUS  STAGES  OF  4.5-IN.  CARTRIDGE  CASE  FROM  BLANK  TO  FINISHED  PART 

cases  at  a  rate  of  some  75,000  per  week  and  in  fulfilUng  this  contract 
developed  a  highly  efficient  system  of  manufacture. 

The  brass  from  which  these  cartridge  cases  (see  Fig.  484)  were  made — 

^  Robert  Mawson,  Associate  Editor,  American  Machinist. 

595 


596 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


[Sec.  Ill 


analyzing  70  per  cent,  copper  and  30  per  cent,  spelter — was  purchased  in 
the  form  of  flat  disks  measuring  5%  in.  in  diameter  by  0.30  in.  in  thick- 
ness. Thirty-odd  operations  converted  these  disks  into  completed 
cartridge  cases,  see  Fig.  485.  The  sequence  of  operations  is  given  in  the 
accompanying  table,  and  the  principle  operations  are  illustrated  by 
sketches  and  brief  data. 

Table   of  Sequence  of  Operations 


1.  Blank — purchased 

18. 

Wash 

2.  Cupping 

19. 

First  heading 

3.  First  indent 

20. 

Second  heading 

4.  Second  indent 

21. 

Final  trimming 

5.  Anneal  and  pickle 

22. 

Pierce  for  primer  hole 

6.  Flatten  base 

23. 

Tapering 

7.  First  draw 

24. 

Shop  inspection 

8.  Wash,  anneal  and  pickle 

25. 

Face,     square     to     length,     rough- 

9.  Second  draw 

thread  and  counterbore  for  primer 

10.  Wash,  anneal  and  pickle 

26. 

Finish-thread 

11.  Third  draw 

27. 

Finish-counterbore 

12.  Trimming 

28. 

Face  inside  of  boss 

13.  Wash  and  pickle 

29. 

Wash 

14.  Fourth  draw 

30. 

Final  inspection 

15.  Wash,  anneal  and  pickle 

31. 

Stamping 

16.  Fifth  draw 

32. 

Packing 

17.  Trimming 

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllill 

OPERATION  2 

Machine  Used — 12-in.  stroke  Bliss. 
Production — 550  per  hr. 
Pressure — 210  tons. 


Chap.  IV]        MAKING  THE  4.5-IN.  HOWITZER  CARTRIDGE  CASE        597 


OPERATION    3.       FIRST   INDENT 


Machine  Used — Toledo  18-in.  stroke. 
Production — 500  per  hr. 
Pressure — 400  tons. 


OPERATION  4.   SECOND  INDENT 


Machine  Used — Toledo  26-in.  stroke. 
Production — 450  per  hr. 
Pressure — 400  tons. 


OPERATION    6.      FLATTENING   BASE 


Machine  Used — Toledo  8-in.  stroke. 
Production — 1,100  per  hr. 
Pressure — 100  tons. 


598 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


[Sec.  Ill 


OPERATION    7.      FIRST    DRAW 

Machine  Used — Toledo  8-in.  stroke. 
Production — 900  per  hr. 
Pressure — 100  tons. 


^:?H'y^t^s^ 


OPERATION   9.      SECOND   DRAW 

Machine  Used — Bliss  12-in.  stroke. 
Production — 550  per  hr. 
Pressure — 75  tons. 


OPERATION    11.      THIRD    DRAW 

Machine  Used — Bliss  12-in.  stroke. 
Production — 550  per  hr. 
Pressure — 75  tons. 


Chap.  IV]        MAKING  THE  4.5-IN.  HOWITZER  CARTRIDGE  CASE        599 


OPERATION   12.      TRIMMING 

Machine  Used — Special  high-speed  lathe. 
Production — 250  per  In-. 

^iiiiiil!li||'iiB;;iM:aiii'!i''i'iiiii!'"!iif'!> 


OPERATION  14.      FOURTH  DRAW 

Machine  Used — Bliss  12-in.  stroke. 

Production — 550  per  hr.  Pressure — 75  tons. 


OPERATION    16.       FIFTH    DRAW 

Machine  Used — Bliss  12-in.  stroke. 

Production — 450  per  hr.  Pressure — 60  tons. 


600 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


[Sec.  hi 


OPERATION    17.       TRIMMING 

Machine  Used — Special  high-speed  lathe  with  chuck  and  trimming  attachment. 
Production — 270  per  hr. 


OPERATIONS  19  AND  20.      FIRST  AND  SECOND  HEADING 

Machines  Used — Waterbury  Farrell  foundry  (hydraulic)  6-in.  stroke  press;  Toledo 
23'^-in.  stroke  press. 

Production — 260  per  hr. 


OPERATION    21.      FINAL    TRIMMING 

Machine  Used — Special  high-speed  lathe  with  chuck  and  trimming  attachment. 
Production — 270  per  hr. 


Chap.  IV]        MAKING  THE  4.5-IN.  HOWITZER  CARTRIDGE  CASE        601 


iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii) 


OPERATION   22.       PIERCING 

Machine  Used — Toledo  5-in.  stroke  press. 

Production — 500  per  hr.  Pressure — 5  tons. 


OPERATION   23.       TAPERING 

Machine  Used — Bliss  6-in.  stroke  press.  Production — 400  per  hr. 


OPERATION  25.  FACE,  SQUARE  TO 
LENGTH,  ROUGH-THREAD  AND  COUNTER- 
BORE    FOR    PRIMER  . 

Machine  Used — Warner  &  Swasey 
turret  lathe. 

Production — 70  per  hr. 

Lubricant — All  surfaces  machined  dry 
except  threading,  on  which  lard  oil  is  used. 


602 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


[Sec.  Ill 


OPERATION     26.      FINISH-THREAD 

Machine  Used — Snyder  drilling  machine. 

Production — 380  per  hr.  Lubricant — ^Lard  oil. 

Note — Pilot  used  but  not  shown  in  the  above  illustration. 


OPERATION      27.       FINISH-COUNTERBORE 

Machines  Used — Leland-Gifford  and  Barnes  drilling  machines. 
Production — 380  per  hr. 


OPERATION    28.       FINISH    INSIDE    BOSS 

Machines  Used — Barnes  and  Dwight-Slate  drilling  machines. 
Production — 380  per  hr. 


Chap.  IV]        MAKING  THE  4.5-IN.  HOWITZER  CARTRIDGE  CASE        603 


OPERATION    31.      STAMPING 

Machine  Used — Dwight-Slate  marking  machine. 
Production — 1,200  per  hr. 


OPERATION     32.      PACKING 

Production — One  man  packs  1,200  per  hr.;  one  man  fastens  up  boxes. 


The  blanks  are  first  subjected  to  a  cupping  operation  on  a  Bliss  press 
with  12-in.  stroke,  the  punch  shown  in  Fig.  486  and  the  die  shown  in 
Fig.  487  being  used  for  this  work.  During  this  and  the  subsequent 
punch  press  operations  the  cases  are  lubricated  with  Lub-a-Tube  made 
into  a  solution  with  the  proportions  of  30  lb.  of  the  composition  to  50 
gal.  of  water. 


604 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


[Sec.  Ill 


f 

<-f/-> 

-4 

\P=M      ^ 

m  'y 

i 

Q-rfrj ± 

• 

L^^'J 

! 

^.^>. 

\ 

> 

1 

i 

I 

r — ^ 1 


1    \<-^-^\ 
\<"-4Diam.-'-->i 


r- - 

I 

f2 

¥ 

<- 

9( 

FIG.  486.   CUPPING  PUNCH  AND  PUNCH  HOLDER 


1 — xi^-; 1' 


.  \  y  ]     (r/nish  a// ever)  i 

-* — I '  o     /  ' r~-v 


.^^ 


Grind  and  5fone,Finish-^   *-l<vj 


■^^t !: 


W" J  ^ 

'--5#-  — -- - 

METHOD  OF  HOLDING  DIES  IN  BOLSTER 

p S^Diam. H 


:^:^ 


—TOOLSTfn 

(Harden  and 
^     6rind) 


<- ■SjgOD/am- 


\T 


/s' 


^ 

<-•  4.800''Diam.—> 

M 

CUPPING.OPERATION  2 


S'SP  DRAW 


Ar° 


<----5.020'Diam.-  - 


M 


my  mm-'' 


725  Di'am.  — 


\^  DRAW 


4^  DRAW 


AT 


/S' 


A^^' 


a 


■4898  Diam. 


m 


/^ 


ill 


■4.718  Diam. 


VS^^HH  StUDRAW 

FIG.    487.      BOLSTER   AND   DRAWING   DIES 


Chap.  IV]        MAKING  THE  4.5-IN.  HOWITZER  CARTRIDGE  CASE        605 

The  next  operation  is  making  the  first  indent.  This  is  done  on  an 
18-in.  Toledo  press.  The  punch,  Fig.  488,  and  the  die,  bolster  and 
center-section  knock-out,  Fig.  489,  are  used.  The  punch  is  fastened  to 
the  punch  press  with  a  holder  similar  to  that  for  the  cupping  operation. 

The  part  then  receives  a  second  indenting 
on  a  26-in.  Toledo  press.  The  reason  for  this 
second  indenting  operation  is  that  a  better  case 
is  produced  than  if  the  two  operations  were  per- 
formed at  one  time  and,  as  is  obvious,  it  avoids 
the  use  of  an  extra-large  press.  For  this  work, 
the  punch,  Fig.  490,  the  die  bolster  and  the 
center-section  knock-out,  Fig.  489,  are  utilized; 
also  the  punch  holder.  Fig.  486. 

The  next  process  is  anneaUng  and  pickling 
the  parts.  They  are  placed  on  trays  and  slid 
into  a  crude-oil  oven.  Fig.  491.  Three  such 
ovens  are  provided  at  the  factory  for  this  work, 
each  one  holding  four  44-in.  square  pans,  in  each 
of  which  approximately  110  cartridge  cases  may 

be  placed.  The  ovens  are  kept  at  a  temperature  of  1,250  deg.  F.,  and 
the  cases  are  left  in  the  ovens  36  min.  The  annealing  operation  is 
conducted  so  that  a  pan  is  removed  from  the  rear  of  the  oven  every 


FIG.   488.      THE  PUNCH 


•4   ( 

Y 

\ — . 

1 

j      |.                 1 

t            ' 

1 

1       l- 

1 

-Si' 

J 

J 

1 
1 

i 

FIG.   489.      DIE,  BOLSTER   AND   CENTER-SECTION  KNOCK-OUT 

9  min.  As  the  pan  is  removed,  another  is  placed  at  the  front  of  the 
oven.  This  procedure  enables  the  annealing  operation  to  be  a  con- 
tinuous one.  The  three  ovens  anneal  11,000  cases  in  24  hr.,  requiring 
504  gal.  of  oil. 


606 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


[Sec.  Ill 


When  the  pan  has  been  taken  from  the  oven,  the  cases  are  quenched 
in  cold  water.  They  are  then  conveyed,  by  means  of  a  1,000-lb.  air 
hoist,  to  the  pickhng  tanks.  Fig.  492.  The  solu- 
tion consists  of  one  part  sulphuric  acid  to  ten  parts 
water.  The  cases  remain  in  the  pickling  tank 
about  5  min.  The  parts  are  then  carried  to  an 
8-in.  Toledo  punch  press  where  the  base  is  flat- 
tened, so  that  the  cases  will  present  a  good  surface 
for  the  first  drawing  operation,  in  which  the  punch 
and  die.  Fig.  493,  are  used.  The  die  is  held  with 
bolts  on  the  bolster,  Fig.  494.  The  punch  is  placed 
in  the  holder.  Fig.  486. 

The  case  is  now  ready  for  the  drawing  opera- 
tions. The  first  of  these  is  performed  in  Toledo 
punch  press,  8-in.  stroke.  The  drawing  punches,  Fig.  495,  are  fastened 
to  the  machine  by  the  punch  holder,  Fig.  486.     The  die  is  illustrated 


FIG.  490.      PUNCH  FOR 
SECOND  INDENT 


FIG.    491.       ANNEALING    OPERATION 

in  Fig.  487  and  the  bolster  in  Fig.  494.     The  cases  are  then  washed 
in  a  hot-water  and  caustic  soda  solution  for  about  1  min.     They  are 


FIG.    492.       PICKLING    OPERATION 


afterward   annealed,   quenched  in  cold  water  and  pickled  in  a  similar 
manner  to  that  described  for  operation  5. 


Chap.  IV]       MAKING  THE  4.5-IN.  HOWITZER  CARTRIDGE  CASE        607 

The  parts  are  then  conveyed  to  a  12-in.  Bliss  press,  for  the  second 
drawing.  The  punch,  Fig.  495,  inserted  in  the  holder.  Fig.  486,  and  the 
die,  Fig.  487,  held  in  the  bolster.  Fig.  490,  are  the  tools  for  this  second 


r 

•"-^ri-D 

1^ 

"""■tj'^ 

Y 

v_ 

.y 

TOOL  STEEL 


TOOL  STEEL 
FIG.    493.      PUNCH   AND   DIES   FOR   FLATTENING  BASE 


4,jAdJusi!ng  Screws 
4,^  Poppefs 


■4iThkk 


FIG.    494.      BOLSTER   FOR  BASE-FLATTENING   DIE 

drawing  operation.     The  cases  are  then  washed,  annealed  and  pickled  in 
a  manner  similar  to  that  described  in  operations  5  and  8. 

The  next  operation,  the  third  drawing,  is  performed  on  a  similar 
Bliss  press.  The  tools  are  a  punch,  Fig.  495,  a  punch  holder,  Fig.  486, 
a  die,  Fig.  487,  and  a  bolster.  Fig.  490. 


608 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


[Sec.  Ill 


The  cases  are  then  trimmed  to  3%  in.  long  in  a  lathe.  The  case  is 
held  on  a  cast-iron  chuck  that  is  made  with  its  length  to  suit  the  case 
to  be  trimmed.  Back  of  this  chuck  is  a  tool-steel  disk.  The  chuck, 
disk  and  shank  are  attached  to  the  spindle  of  the  lathe.  The  circular 
cutter  is  operated  by  a  handle  on  the  cross-slide.     As  the  case  is  revolved, 


♦    •■    - 

1 

J 

h 



1 . 

1 
! 

1 
i 
j 

i 
j 

■  ^  -  A 

1 

i 

j 

: 

^  i 

\ 

'^ 

5 

*?■ 

1 

1 

i 
j 

I 

i 

■i          J 

V            <i        J 

i 

i 

V             <t       J 

|tfDI?AW 

" 

2"-°  DRAW                         3"-°  DRAW 

4-2?  DRAW 

5^  DRAW 

FIG. 

49 

5. 

DRAWING 

PUNCHES 

the  cutter  is  slid  against  it;  and  as  the  case  is  held  against  the  hardened 
tool-steel  disk,  the  edge  is  trimmed  off  smoothly.  Details  of  the  trim- 
ming tools  are  given  in  Figs.  496  and  497.  The  cases  are  then  washed, 
annealed  and  pickled,  as  previously  described. 


CyrHerCwOl  STfeO 


T-r 


CAST 
IRON 


t 


^^1  ^^tK.^-:^ 


:--vr^-A 


•^.iLJ 


CAST  IRON      , 
(Fiiio^      i 
Shell} 


\^ ^i -L:>^.h A---- 

ArTh/sJ)lme/7s/on -fo  Su/%^n^/i  of 
Case  beinc^ffimmecf 

FIG.    496.       MANDREL   AND    CUTTER    FOR   TRIMMING 


.^ 


The  next  operation  is  the  fourth  drawing,  also  performed  on  a  12-in. 
Bliss  punch  press.  The  tools  for  this  operation  are  the  punch.  Fig.  495, 
punch  holder.  Fig.  486,  die.  Fig.  487,  and  bolster,  Fig.  490.  The  cases 
are  washed,  annealed  and  pickled,  as  previously  described,  with  the 
exception  that  the  time  of  annealing  is  only  20  min. 


Chap.  IV]        MAKING  THE  4.5-IN.  HOWITZER  CARTRIDGE  CASE        609 


— 

1? 

-(n) 

- 

y—^ — 1 

;it' 

['[';• 

1 

::i>- 

-,_IU 

iiii              1 

'6!)' 

w 

FIG.    497.      DETAILS   OF   TRIMMING   LATHE 


39 


610 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


[Sec.  Ill 


The  cases  are  then  ready  for  the  fifth,  or  final,  drawing  operation. 
This  is  performed  on  another  Bliss  punch,  12-in.  stroke.  Details  of 
the  tools  for  this  operation  are  given  in  the  following  illustrations: 


FIG.    498.      WASHING   OPERATION 


n.-^ 


I — : — — ^^ 


(<-3  H 


Ex+rac+or 


— ) — ^M— 


Hole  for  Ji 
Bolh 


'^ 


Bolster 


LsH- 


—r- 


R!ghi 


M   "<v       D' 


.^^tv:^:;::±^!^^ _^^V' 

Bol+s  for  Ex+rac+or 


FIG.    499.       DETAILS    FOR   HYDRAULIC    PRESS 


Punch,  Fig.  495;  punch  holder,  Fig.  486;  die.  Fig.  487,  and  bolster.  Fig. 
490.  This  operation  completes  the  drawing  work  performed  on  the 
cartridge  case. 


Chap.  IV]        MAKING  THE  4.5-IN.  HOWITZER  CARTRIDGE  CASE        611 

After  the  final  drawing  operation  the  cartridge  cases  are  taken  to 
a  special  high-speed  lathe  and  trimmed  to  4  in.  in  length.  The  same 
tools  are  again  used,  as  shown  in  detail  in  Fig.  496,  with  the  exception 
that  there  is  another  guide  chuck  to  suit  the  diameter  of  the  case  and  the 


h 


.  <47e8tQooia-^\ 

V:5.Z25'tO.OOB'a  A 
FIG.  500.      HEADING  DIE  FOR 
HYDRAULIC    PRESS 


_cJ-: 


Nto 


4^- ->#^^ 


FIG.  501.       DIE  FOR  POWER  PRESS 


Collar 


liLess  K/M 


FIG.  502.      FIRST  HEADING 
PUNCH 


Shell  IS  shown  finished. 
A I  low  for  increased  size 
of  head  before  f rimming 

FIG.    503.       KOCKN-OUT   FOR   HYDRAULIC    PRESS 


MT 


FIG.    504.       KNOCK-OUT   FOR   POWER    PRESS 


here   r—  ■  ^i^f"  Diam.- — -J      ' 
\^-—6.255'Diam."--^ 

FIG.    505.       SECOND   HEADING    PUNCH 


length  it  is  to  be  trimmed.  The  rate  of  production  for  the  operation  is 
270  per  hour.  The  cartridge  cases  are  washed  for  about  1  min.  in  a 
solution  of  hot  water  and  caustic  soda,  to  clean  them.     The  tank  held 


612 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


[Sec.  Ill 


in  position  ready  for  receiving  shells  to  be  dipped  in  the  solution  of  hot 
water  and  caustic  soda  is  shown  in  diagrammatical  form  in  Fig.  498. 

The  next  operation  is  the  heading.     This  work  is  performed  in  both 
hydraulic  and  power  presses.     The  operation  is  divided  into  first  and 


=//>i 


TOOL 
STEEL 


4- 


Punch 


h ■•- 

m'- 

-H 

1 

1      'V' 

.,■1    .    i 

1 

Bolster 
PIG.    506.      TOOLS   FOR   PIERCING   OPERATION 

second  heading.  Details  of  the  attachments  fitted  to  the  hydraulic 
press  are  illustrated  in  Fig.  499  and  die  used  is  illustrated  in  Fig.  500. 
The  die  for  the  power  press  is  shown  in  Fig.  501.  The  punch  for  both 
the  hydraulic  and  the  power  press  for  the  first  heading  is  seen  in  Fig. 


Y- 


.—-6'- 


i 


m 


L,-_-.:.M-.-.t£:-:^-4- 


To  Su/'-f-  Punch 
c--Holcler 


l-r-- 


I 


TOOL  ^ 
\5TEEC 


=~.N!^     \MACHINE 
V      ^  STEEL 


U t 


■^; -H       I 

-9— •>! 

Punch 


K 3^  --H 

1 1  _ 

<- 4/- > 

-r 

U4 

m  1 

Ejec 

>or 

<--[ 7"- 

-.-> 

"A" 

r-|co 

<--i -.7/--.- 

1 1 

> 

u 

Die 


FIG.    507.       TOOLS    FOR   TAPERING 


502.  The  knock-out  used  in  the  hydraulic  is  shown  in  Fig.  503  and  that 
for  the  power  press  in  Fig.  504.  For  the  second  heading  the  same  tools 
are  employed,  with  the  exception  of  the  punch,  which  is  illustrated  in 
Fig.  505. 

The  cases  are  then  trimmed  to  33^-in.  length  in  a  manner  similar  to 


Chap.  IV]        MAKING  THE  4.5-lN.  HOWITZER  CARTRIDGE  CASE        613 


FIG.    508.      SET   UP   OF   TOOLS 


2"^  Operofion  3^  Opera+ion 

FIG.    509.      LAYOUT   OF   TURRET  TOOLS 


614 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


[Sec.  TII 


1 1    (T)    I      Facing  Tool  and  Focing  Tool-Holder  Bi-ocl<e+ 
!         I       I  CMT  IRON 


^iHThUi 


^li>\ 


f>       lif  *   ■  i  Isi.i        LocUin;  tv-.-e* \Na5yier     y    |  ji^||    ■     ! 


y_  y  Bndei 

Locking     Adjustinc,         Screw 


■  Screws         ■  |<  Zk_ I  ji>1 

-T-^:;^  fegj  fij) 

-^  -^  ^'       I                  Tool- Holder     I    -' 
£rrew  ^ 


DETAILS  OF  FORMING  AND  FACING  TOOL  HOLDER 


FIG.  510(a) 


COLO-DPAWN  TUB/HG 


# 


Quill 


■> 


Clomp 
TOOL  SmtMROCN 


HIOH-SPESD  STSrL 


Ul^.j-  .  Fills+erhcod  Screw  Focing       t-tS      OO.Burring      I.QBurring 
..".J'. >1  Cutter  Cutters 

DETAILS  OELSACK-TRIMMING  HEAD 

FIG.  510(6) 


Ai't<ii'A<.--ii'-A< 


DETAILS  OF  COMPOUND  BORING  BAR  FOR  PRIMER  HOLE 

FIG.    510(c) 


^f- >1 

Recess  Tool- HoWer  Bar 


■rc-H^ 


/::^' 


.  ^j'l. 


.^•j 


rioo+ing  Holder 


•«■•- V 

Recessing  Tool 


r~;-3o 


□ 


D 


Recessing  loci  I 


FIG.    510(d).      DETAILS   OF  TOOLS   USED   WHEN   MACHINING   CASE 


Chap.  IV]        MAKING  THE  4.5-IN.  HOWITZER  CARTRIDGE  CASE        615 

that  previously  described.  This  operation  is  performed  on  the  special 
high-speed  lathe,  with  the  same  tools,  substituting  a  chuck  to  suit  the 
length  of  the  case  being  trimmed.  The  rate  of  production  for  this  opera- 
tion is  approximately  the  same  as  for  operation  17. 

The  next  operation  is  piercing  for  the  primer  hole.  The  punch  press 
for  this  operation  is  a  Toledo  5-in.  stroke  press.  The  punch,  die  and  bol- 
ster for  the  piercing  operation  are  shown  in  Fig.  506.     The  cases  are  then 


h- 


■2.5975  Radius 


■2.45625 -Radius 


2.56975  Radius 


256975" Radius - >| 


FIG.    511.      DETAIL   OF   HEAD   OF   CASE 


ready  for  the  tapering  operation.  The  machine  used  on  this  work  is 
a  6-in.  Bliss  press.  The  punch,  ejector,  die,  and  bolster,  Fig.  507,  are 
employed  for  the  tapering  operation. 

From  the  trimming  machine  to  the  piercing  and  then  to  the  tapering 
presses,  the  cartridge  cases  are  transferred  by  means  of  inclined  wooden 
troughs,  down  which  they  slide.  After  being  tapered  the  cases  are  sUd 
down  a  short  wooden  chute  feeding  an  inclined  chain  conveyor  of  the 


STRAIGHT- FLUTED  TAP 


r 

p'i:i:i;i:i'i,i:i:iTii:i:iH 


->l|l<' 


'T6    "A      ^lOBSi^A 
Tool  Steel.  Hardened 
LEADER 


iQ  -^j;^^ 


■'I "^BOLTfok  LEADER 

FIG,    512.       DETAILS    OF   TAP   AND    PILOT 

flight  type.  This  conveyor  delivers  the  cartridge  cases  to  an  upper  floor, 
where  they  are  given  a  thorough  shop  inspection  before  the  remaining 
operations  are  undertaken. 

The  next  operation  is  facing,  squaring  to  length,  rough-threading  and 
counterboring  for  the  primer.  Details  of  the  tools  used  are  given  in  Figs. 
508,  509  and  510a-c?,  while  a  detail  of  the  shape  required  on  the  head  is 
presented  in  Fig.  511. 

The  next  operation  is  finish  tapping  the  primer  hole.  This  is  done  in 
a  drill  press,  with  a  tap  fitted  with  a  pilot,  so  that  the  thread  will  be 


616 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


[Sec.  Ill 


Chap.  IV]        MAKING  THE  4.5-IN.  HOWITZER  CARTRIDGE  CASE        617 


FIG.    514.      ASSEMBLY   AND   DETAIL   OP   CAM   ATTACHMENT 


M  Thick. 


■TOOL  STffL 


e.87'- 

U -- s'- >l 

&age  for  total  Lerg+K.'^ 

ILS.  409 r 

Chamber  Low 

Degree  of  Accuracy,*  aOOOs' 


^  y-'i  \iThick 

(xoes'v- Z.67' >| 

Cioge  for  Radius 
Under  Head 


X-14  Threads  per  Inch.  Righi  Hand,  mifwor^-ft  Standard 
Fif  Threads  Exact  to  Female  Oage  Sent 
Slightly  below 

Bottom  erf  Thread   n„-„',„r,-7,'  i        ^n'         r  » 

•  QOTUaOZI    W,-Z^i0.05l  - ^iu. 

''■^aoos'  ^^'l;-f;;],-'f^^-7^^''''     "  i'p^o.oii"\ 

No  tolerance  -^1^^°'^^  yn'.nn-z,"  V 

unless  ofher^se        ^"    r,    «  n  '^^^"•"""^ '^ 

speciFed  Th,s  gage  ^Low  Diamete-^ 

tobei       ■ 


hardened 


3.787 


r  ■■»■■ ^'?' H 


STEEL 


Cage  for  Thickness 
cf  Head 


^         l< 2k— -A 

"       6age  for  Thickness 
of  Me+alo+Mou+h 


C35''Ga(7'>.-'<High  Diome+er)-  i'RiaOil" 

Gages  for  Primer  Hole 


Gage  for  Small  Diome+er  of  Plain 
Part  of  Primer  Hole 


Gage  for  Length  of  Primer  Hole 
and  Depth  of  Counterbore 


&age  for  Diame+er 
of  Body 


6age  for  Diameter 
inder  Head 


FIG.    515.      GAGES   FOR   4.5   HOWITZER   CASE 


618 


CARTRIDGE  CASES 


[Sec.  Ill 


tapped  square.  Details  of  the  tap  and  pilot  are  given  in  Fig.  512  and 
of  the  pneumatic  holding  chuck  in  Fig.  513.  The  novel  and  valuable 
feature  of  this  chuck  is  the  method  of  locating  the  cartridge  case.  It 
will  be  observed  that  when  the  air  pressure  is  admitted  to  the  chuck  the 
case  is  raised.  It  is  then  located  against  a  finished  flange  on  the  chuck. 
As  the  outside  face  of  the  case  flange  has  been  accurately  machined,  the 
hole  tapped  and  counterbored  will  thus  be  square  with  it,  as  the  tap 
operates  at  right  angles  to  the  locating  face  of  the  chuck.  Lard  oil  is 
used  during  this  tapping  operation,  also  when  rough-tapping  in  the 
twenty-fifth  operation. 

The  next  operation  is  finish-counterboring.  The  drill  press  set  up 
for  this  operation  is  a  Leland-Gifford  or  Barnes  drill  press.  For  this 
operation  the  same  pneumatic  holding  chuck,  Fig.  513,  holds  the  case. 
The  counterbore  is  shown  in  detail  in  Fig.  509  and  is  the  same  as  used  in 
the  fifth  suboperation  of  operation  25. 


FIG.    516.      SPECIAL  HOLDING  VISE 


The  surface  of  the  inside  boss  is  faced  as  the  next  operation.  This 
is  not  done  to  any  gage,  being  only  to  remove  the  burr  left  in  the  thread- 
ing and  counterboring  operations.  The  machine  for  this  work  is  either 
a  Barnes  or  a  Dwight-Slate  drilUng  machine  (see  Fig.  514),  the  spindle 
of  which  is  operated  with  a  foot  treadle  acting  through  a  cam.  This 
revolves  a  gear  that  meshes  with  the  rack  cut  on  the  spindle.  By  this 
arrangement  the  leverage  of  the  cam  is  utilized  as  the  force  for  the  facing 
tool.  The  cases  are  then  washed  in  a  solution  of  water  and  caustic 
soda,  heated  to  150  deg.  F.,  where  they  are  allowed  to  remain  for  about 
10  sec. 

The  next  operation  is  the  final  inspection.  The  various  gages  for 
testing  the  cartridge  cases  are  shown  in  Fig.  515.  In  Fig.  516  is  shown 
a  special  vise  to  hold  the  case  for  any  slight  operation  found  necessary 
during  the  inspection.  The  rate  of  production  on  the  inspection  is 
approximately  65  per  hr. 


Chap.  IV]        MAKING  THE  4.5-IN.  HOWITZER  CARTRIDGE  CASE        619 


620  CARTRIDGE  CASES  [Sec.  Ill 

The  cases  are  then  conveyed,  by  means  of  a  chute,  from  the  inspection 
bench  to  the  marking  machine  for  stamping.  Details  of  the  special 
jaws  operated  by  air  for  holding  the  case  are  given  in  Fig.  517.  It  will 
be  noticed  that  the  jaws  slide  on  a  slight  incline.  By  this  means,  when 
the  case  is  in  position  under  the  stamp  ready  for  marking,  the  pressure 
during  the  operation  comes  on  the  flange,  thus  avoiding  injury  to  the 
thin  wall  of  the  open  end  of  the  cartridge  case.  A  detail  of  the  cartridge 
stamp  is  shown  in  Fig.  518. 


D/' reef  ion  of  RoiuHon- 
FIG.    518.       DETAIL    OF    STAMP 


The  final  operation  is  packing  for  shipment.  The  wooden  case  is 
made  to  hold  100  cartridge  cases,  which  are  placed  in  5  layers  of  20  each. 
Between  each  layer  and  around  the  insides  of  the  packing  case  is  placed 
corrugated  paper.  After  cases  have  been  filled,  the  cover  is  fastened 
down.  The  wooden  cases  are  then  pushed  along  the  roller  track  and 
finally  down  an  inclined  chute.  Such  method  eliminates  any  lifting  or 
carrying  of  the  cartridge  cases  during  the  packing. 


SECTION  IV 
FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 

By 

Fred  H.  Colvin 

Page 

CHAPTER  I.        Making  the  British  Detonator  Fuse  Mark  100 623 

CHAPTER  II.      Making  the  British  Time  Fuse  Mark  80-44 660 

CHAPTER  III.     Making  Primers  for  Cartridge  Cases 705 


621 


CHAPTER  I 

THE  DETONATOR  FUSE— MAKING  THE  BRITISH  DETONATOR 
MARK  lOO'—MAKING  ADAPTERS  FOR  BRITISH  DETONAT- 
ING FUSEi 

The  function  of  the  detonating  head,  or  fuse,  which  screws  into  the 
nose  of  the  high-explosive  shell,  is  that  of  exploding  the  shell  when  the 
head  strikes  any  object  offering  sufficient  resistance  to  set  off  the  explo- 
sive material,  much  in  the  same  way  as  a  cartridge  is  exploded  by  the 
percussion  cap  ifi  its  base.  Such  an  ''exploder,"  known  as  the  British 
Detonator  Mark  100,  is  shown  in  Fig.  519. 


L,-J 


FIG.    519.       DETAILS    OF   BRITISH    MARK  100   DETONATING    FUSE    OR  EXPLODER 


The  percussion  or  firing  material  is  held  at  two  points,  F  and  L,  the 
firing  mechanism  being  interlocked  so  that  it  is  necessary  to  release 
the  first  firing  needle  before  it  is  possible  to  fire  the  second. 

In  order  to  make  the  shells  safe  to  handle,  even  after  the  heads  A 
and  the  firing  materials  are  screwed  into  place,  it  is  necessary  to  provide 
a  lock  so  that  the  graze  pellet  G  cannot  carry  the  cap  F  into  contact  with 
the  needle.  This  is  done  by  inserting  the  centrifugal  bolt  Q  so  that  it 
projects  beyond  the  shoulder  of  the  graze  pellet  G  and  prevents  it  being 
thrown  forward  toward  D  even  if  the  shell  is  dropped  point  downward. 

^  Fred  H.  Colvin,  Associate  Editor,  American  Machinist. 

623 


624  FUSES  AND  PRIMERS  [Sec.  IV 

The  light  conical  spring  E  is  simply  to  aid  in  keeping  G  in  its  place,  but 
is  not  strong  enough  to  act  as  a  safety  in  this  respect. 

When  the  shell  is  fired  from  the  gun,  however,  the  acceleration  is  so 
great  that  the  inertia  of  the  upper  and  lower  detents  R  and  S,  which  are 
virtually  one  piece,  is  enough  to  compress  the  spring  behind  them  and 
allow  the  centrifugal  bolt  Q  to  be  thrown  outward  and  away  from  the 
graze  pellet  by  the  centrifugal  force  set  up  by  the  rapid  whirling  of  the 
shell  due  to  the  rifling  grooves  in  the  gun.  This  releases  the  graze 
pellet  and  leaves  it  free  to  act  as  soon  as  the  momentum  of  the  shell  is 
retarded  by  striking  an  object. 

In  order  to  be  sure  that  the  detent  does  not  fly  back  to. lock  the  cen- 
trifugal bolt,  the  small  portion  or  upper  detent  is  held  in  a  ball  joint  with 
a  15-deg.  movement.  The  whirling  of  the  shell  throws  this  out  so  that 
when  the  spring  again  forces  it  forward  it  locks  the  detent  in  the  large 
holes. 

When  this  occurs  the  impact  throws  the  graze  pellet  forward,  forces 
the  percussion  material  against  the  needle  D  and  shoots  the  ignition 
flame  down  through  the  center  of  the  graze  pellet  and  the  gaine  or  powder 
tube  to  the  powder  pocket  in  the  base  of  the  shell.  To  make  explosion 
doubly  sure  the  second  percussion  device  is  used,  being  released  by  the 
forward  movement  of  the  graze  pellet. 

The  cross  or  percussion  pellet  H  is  held  against  the  pressure  of  the 
spring  M  by  the  lower  end  of  the  graze  pellet  fitting  into  the  tapered  cross- 
hole.  As  soon  as  the  graze  pellet  shoots  forward,  the  spring  forces  the 
percussion  pellet  needle  J  into  the  firing  material  at  L  and  sets  it  off.  The 
fire  shoots  through  the  small  holes  I  around  the  needle  J,  through  the 
center  of  the  percussion  pellet,  and  joins  the  other  line  of  fire  on  its  way 
to  the  explosion  pocket  in  the  gaine  tube. 

In  addition  to  the  parts  mentioned  in  connection  with  the  operation 
of  the  fuse  in  action,  there  are  several  others  which  present  problems  in 
manufacturing.  These  are  the  small  retaining  screws  N,  0,  P  and  U. 
The  wrench-key  holes  V  and  W  also  require  attention,  drill  jigs  for  hold- 
ing and  high-speed  drilling  machines  being  provided  for  doing  these 
rapidly  and  economically.  The  hole  W  is  in  reality  an  oblong  slot  which 
must  be  milled  to  accommodate  the  spanner  wrench  for  tightening  the 
head. 

Material  for  these  fuses  must  be  approved  after  being  submitted  to 
mechanical  test — from  test  pieces  not  less  than  1  in.  in  diameter  by  7  in. 
long  where  practicable.  The  materials  for  the  fuse  are  divided  into  three 
classes  of  bronze  or  copper  alloys,  with  the  exception  of  the  adapter, 
which  is  made  of  mild  steel  of  from  28  to  36  tons'  tensile  strength. 
-  The  detents  are  of  phosphor-bronze  alloys  with  a  yield  point  of  20 
and  a  breaking  strength  of  30  tons.  The  next  class  of  material  must 
have  strength  of  12  and  20  tons  respectively,  while  the  more  unimportant 


Chap.  I]  THE  DETONATOR  FUSE  625 

parts  are  only  required  to  have  a  yield  point  of  8  tons  and  a  breaking 
point  of  20  tons.  The  elongation  demanded  is  20  per  cent,  for  the  first 
class,  30  for  the  second  and  20  for  the  third,  while  the  steel  for  adapters 
need  elongate  but  17  per  cent. 

These  figures,  however,  are  only  acceptable  if  in  the  test  piece  fur- 
nished the  length  divided  by  the  square  root  of  the  area  equals  4.  This 
interpreted  into  shop  language  means  that  the  square  root  of  the  area  of 
the  test  piece  multiplied  by  4  gives  the  effective  length  or  the  distance 
between  grips  in  the  testing  machine,  and  with  this  setting  the  piece 
must  give  the  elongation  shown. 

The  exact  composition  of  these  alloys  is  left  to  the  manufacturer, 
the  only  requirement  being  that  they  come  up  to  the  physical  require- 
ment specified. 

After  completion  the  outside  of  the  fuse  and  the  inside  of  the  adapter 
must  be  coated  with  a  lacquer  of  specified  composition. 

All  screw  threads  must  be  of  the  British  standard  fine  thread.  These 
have  the  Whitworth  form,  but  differ  in  pitch  from  bolt  standards. 

Fuses  are  delivered  in  lots  of  1,000,  plus  five  extra  fuses  for  testing 
purposes.  The  five  extra  fuses  are  fired  with  filled  shells  at  1  deg.  ele- 
vation over  sand,  to  be  sure  the  fuse  acts  correctly  on  impact.  Should 
one  of  the  five  test  shells  be  ''blind,"  or  fail  to  explode,  a  second  proof 
may  be  taken  of  five  more  selected  at  random  from  the  lot  of  1,000.  A 
second  blind  fuse  condemns  the  lot.  This  gives  some  idea  of  the  ac- 
curacy required  in  this  work. 

MAKING    THE   BRITISH   DETONATOR   MARK  100 

The  body  of  the  detonator  fuse  is  made  from  a  forged-brass  casting, 
the  cast  plug  with  dimensions  being  shown  in  Fig.  520.  These  castings 
are  an  alloy  of  60  per  cent,  copper  and  approximately  40  per  cent,  zinc, 
with  traces  of  antimony,  phosphorus  and  manganese.  These  slugs  are 
cast  li%6  ill-  ill  diameter  at  the  large  end  and  3J^  in.  long,  the  detailed 
dimensions  being  as  shown. 

In  the  new  Boston  plant  of  the  American  Steam,  Gauge  and  Valve 
Manufacturing  Co.,  the  brass  castings,  slugs,  are  heated  in  oil  furnaces  of 
the  Chicago  Flexible  Shaft  Co.  to  a  forging  heat  of  about  1,500  deg.  and 
placed  in  the  screw  press,  which  is  rated  by  the  makers,  Zeh  &  Hahne- 
man,  as  having  a  capacity  of  150  tons'  pressure.  Two  of  these  presses 
are  used,  each  capable  of  handling  10  to  12  slugs  a  minute,  or  600  to  720 
per  hr. 

The  slugs  are  pressed  to  a  length  of  2%  in.,  into  the  shape  shown, 
reducing  the  volume  about  15  per  cent,  and  making  the  metal  much 
more  dense..  The  straight  portion  on  the  nose  is  for  ease  in  chucking  for 
the  first  operation. 

40 


626 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 


[Sec.  IV 


The  dies  for  this  slug  are  6  in.  square  by  4J^  in.  thick  and  best  results 
are  obtained  with  a  lubricant  made  up  of  water  and  mineral  lard  oil  in 
the  usual  proportions,  with  the  addition  of  graphite  and  white  soda  ash. 
These  are  measured  in  a  small  wooden  box  which  gives  about  13  cu.  in. 


K- /f -- 


CASTSLU6 


Bom 

(Hof  Pressed) 


FIG.  520.   THE  FORGED  BRASS  SLUG  FOR  THE  BODY 


for  the  graphite  and  2  cu.  in.  for  the  soda  ash.     This  mixture  is  applied 
to  the  dies  with  a  swab  after  every  forging  operation. 

After  the  body  slugs  have  been  hot-pressed  they  are  sent  to  the 
department,  which  contains  the  turret  or  hand  screw  machines.  These 
are  of  the  Warner  &  Swasey,  the  Bardons  &  Oliver  and  Acme  Machinery 
Co.  manufacture.     An  outline  of  the  sequence  of  these  operations  is 

shown  in  Fig.  521.  Those  marked  1  are  the 
first  operations  and  those  designated  by  a  2 
show  the  sequence  of  the  operations  after  the 
second  chucking.  The  letter  after  each  num- 
ber shows  the  order  of  the  sub-operations. 

The  tooling  of  the  Warner  &  Swasey  turret 
for  operation  1  is  shown  in  Fig.  522.  The  box 
tool  for  the  first  or  roughing  cut  is  shown  at 
A^  the  holder  having  three  side  tools  B  in 
addition  to  the  two-lipped  center  cutter  C  for 
counterboring  the  base  for  the  adapter.  The  cross-slide  tool  comes  in 
for  the  next  cut  2,  which  undercuts  beyond  the  thread  and  forms  the 
angular  shoulder  where  the  fuse  body  fits  against  the  shell.  The 
next  sub-operation — finishing  for  the   die   at  A   and  facing  at  B— is 


FIG.    521.       SEQUENCE    OF 
[OPERATION    ON   BODY 


Chap.  I] 


THE  DETONATOR  FUSE 


627 


shown  in  3,  where  the  inside  is  being  sized  for  the  tap  by  cutter  C  and  the 
corners  are  chamfered  at  D.  The  flat-pointed  drill  4  next  cuts  the  hole 
beneath  the  percussion  pellet,  which  allows  the  fire  to  communicate  with 
the  powder  tube.     This  is  held  as  shown. 


^l/tr  BOTTOM D/?/LL,BUSHim  HCLD 
mf  STANOJIPO  HOLD£K,  llf'SHANK 


^scesswe  cutts/?  hclo  m  stanoa^d 

.RECESSING  TOOL  SHANK 


FIG.    522.       FIRST   CHUCKING    OF   FUSE   BODY,    WARNER    «&    SWASEY    TURRET 


PSCrSSMG  CUTTCR  HCLD 
M  iJ^'SMANK 


UWeKUTTlA/O  rOPM 

CUTTEIf  HELO  //V 

CPOSS  SLIDE 


FACING  TOOL  HELDIM  4  "'*^-* 

CROSS  SLIDE 


COUNTERBORE 

FIG.    523.       SECOND    CHUCKING    OF    FUSE   BODY,    WARNER    &    SWASEY   TURRET 


The  next  tooling  is  to  undercut  the  bottom  of  the  recess  for  the  top, 
using  the  tool  shown  in  5  in  a  standard  holder.  Then  comes  the  threading 
of  the  piece  with  a  14  right-hand  thread,  1.993-in.  diameter,  self -opening 
die.  This  is  followed  by  the  seventh  and  last  sub-operation  on  this  end — 
tapping  the  end  for  the  adapter  with  a  14  right-hand  thread  collapsible 
tap. 


628 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 


[Sec.  IV 


o  o< 
.  .    S  o  o  bi 

«  .2^^  o 


For  the  second  operation  on  the  Warner  &  Swasey  turret  lathes  the 
^  body  is  held  by  the  chuck  shown  in 

sub-operation  1,  Fig.  523.  The 
body  is  screwed  into  the  drawing 
bar  A  and  pulled  back  against  the 
conical  seat  B.  The  center  drill  C 
paves  the  way  for  the  tapped  hole 
which  receives  the  cap.  The  next 
sub-operation  involves  drilling  for 
the  graze  pellets  with  A,  roughing 
off  the  straight  nose  to  conform  to 
the  taper  with  tool  B  and  facing 
the  end  with  C. 

The  drilling  of  the  small  hole 
which  completes  the  opening  to  the 
powder  tube  is  done  in  the  third 
sub-operation.  This  is  followed  by 
the  counterbore  4,  which  finishes 
the  hole  for  the  graze  pellet.  The 
tolerance  here  is  only  0.002  in. 
Recessing  for  the  cap  thread  comes 
next,  sub- operation  5;  then  the 
taper  is  turned  by  the  cross-slide 
forming  tool  6  passing  under  the 
work  and  the  facing  tool  7,  also 
held  in  the  cross-forming  slide. 
Tapping  for  the  cap  completes  the 
body,  except  for  subsequent  drilling 
for  the  detents  and  centrifugal  bolts 
and  tapping  for  the  small  screws. 

The  production  runs  from  16 
to  20  per  hour  per  machine  for  the 
first  operation  and  from  10  to  13 
per  hour  for  the  second. 

The  14  gages  for  the  work  done 
on  the  turrets  are  shown  in  Fig.  524. 
These  explain  themselves  and  give 
the  tolerances  allowed.  Two  gages, 
/  and  N,  are  for  the  same  purpose, 
gaging  the  depth  of  the  turret  hole. 
The  last  is  an  improved  gage  which 
now  supplants  the  other.. 

The  drilling  and  tapping  of  the 
more  of  a  job  than  might  be  imagined 


1 

\*--ee/-7->\ 


(■"la 

5m-i  o 

.S  OX3 


fuse  body,  the  next  operation  ^ 


Chap.  I] 


THE  DETONATOR  FUSE 


629 


and  involves  the  use  of  the  seven  special  fixtures.  In  order  to  see  exactly 
what  these  drilling  operations  are  and  to  better  appreciate  all  the 
problems  that  present  themselves,  it  is  necessary  to  study  the  illustra- 


bottom  of  fhreod  »  >-  •  '  ^ 

56  Threads  per 
Incti.  Right  Hand    Xl 


*^    SK  ^— ' 


N0TE:-4//  Threads  are  British  5fanda(d 
Fine  Screw  Thread 


'     1            i          k^^'>l  14  Threads  per    I 
U ....iggi'tOM}...^. .^ 


FIG.    525.      SECTIONS  OF  BRITISH  DETONATOR  HEAD,  SHOWING  DIMENSIONS  AND  TOLER- 
ANCES  OF  VARIOUS   PARTS 


S+a+IOnory 
Bushing 


TOOL  ^ZZL(Harc/en and GrouncO 


FIG.    526.       FIRST   DRILLING   FIXTURE    FOR   SIDE    HOLES 


tions  in  Fig.  525.  The  small  tolerances  allowed,  as  well  as  the  density 
and  large  amount  of  copper  in  the  metal,  make  this  a  particularly 
difficult  job. 


630 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 


[Sec.  IV 


f-\>\  HardenSLOr'md  f-   ly  >\ 


I 


'iO^   '^W^—     ^b^lo^Ad'f^n 


700L57EEL  i'^^-'i"-^ 

STAHONARr  BUSHING  BUSHING 


to  be  locked  from 
turning 


Thread  g  Diam 
'^Lead 


FIG.    527.       FIXTURE    FOR    DRILLING    PERCUSSION-PELLET   HOLE 


Y'-O.SSS 


'^56TFds.per  ^n      g 


m; 


']:^m 


Jk 


H0.d8 


FIG.  528.   GAGES  FOR  CENTRIFUGAL  BOLT  HOLE 

A — Relation  of  hole  to  top  of  body  and  to  setscrew  hole  for  cap.     B — Diameter^of  hole. 

C — Diameter  of  threaded  hole 


Chap.  I] 


THE  DETONATOR  FUSE 


631 


The  fixture  shown  in  Fig.  526  is  designed  for  drilling  the  three  holes 
A^,  0  and  P,  the  first  two  being  for  the  grub  or  headless  setscrews  for  hold- 


7 

^  diam.  Pin,  Drive  Fit 


SL 


B.® 


.3^..........J    ^ 

Groove  each  Side  4  Widex-ji,  Deep 


Lap  /orSu5/7/'/0\  "S  f' ' 

TOOL  STEEL 

Narc/en  and  On'ncf 


azio\  f&^^Lc^pO.iie'diam: 


-  y  Pin  for  Stop 
TOOL  STEEL 

Harden  rjnd  Orind 

FIG.    529.      FIXTURE   FOR   RECESSING   AND   TAPPING    PERCUSSION-PELLET  HOLE 


-XZ 


iLX 


.''?V-. 


B    ! 


k. 


.^^- 


H 


tr 


p<  /ZSO  jj^  Groove  each  s/di 

U<"      'ir---'\-^'r,idexi'deep 


T ^jr— * 


;i::]3 


FIG.    530.       TAPPING   FIXTURE   FOR  SETSCREW  HOLE 


ing  the  cap  and  adapter  in  place,  while  the  other  drills  the  hole  for  the 
centrifugal  bolt.     The  body  B  is  shown  in  position  in  the  drilling  jig, 


632  '  FUSES  AND  PRIMERS  [Sec.  IV 

being  located  by  the  central  post,  which  fits  the  graze  pellet  hole,  the  end 
of  the  plug  bottoming  and  the  clamp  of  the  fixtures  holding  it  in  place 
against  this  plug.  Details  of  the  swinging  clamp  are  shown  in  Fig.  527. 
Feet  are  provided  on  three  sides  of  the  fixture,  together  with  hardened 
steel  bushings,  as  shown.  The  gages  for  the  centrifugal-bolt  hole  are 
shown  in  Fig.  528. 

With  the  exception  of  the  operation  shown  in  Fig.  535,  which  is  located 
by  the  holes  for  the  percussion  pellet,  all  further  drilling  operations  are 
located  from  the  centrifugal  bolt  hole.  The  second  fixture.  Fig.  527, 
drills  for  the  percussion  pellet,  the  fixture  being  similar  to  that  shown  in 
Fig.  526,  with  the  exception  of  the  spring  index  pin  or  stop  S  located  in 
the  centrifugal  bolt  hole.  This  illustration  also  shows  the  details  of  the 
swinging  clamp,  which  carries  a  central  screw  for  holding  the  body  B 
firmly  in  place  after  the  clamp  is  swung  under  the  locking  bolt. 

Next  comes  the  jig  for  recessing  and  tapping  for  the  percussion  pellet. 
Fig.  529.  The  body  is  located  in  the  same  manner  as  before  in  the  fixture 
shown  in  Fig.  527,  which  illustrates  very  clearly  how  the  work  is  done  and 


ft<  ^  ^  1>  TOOL  STEEL  .^> 

Nt_, , _, .JJL   i_^  Inch  R.K  __± 


:□         i 


r  A  ^  ^  c  '^ 


FIG.    531.       GAGES   FOR    PERCUSSION-PELLET   HOLE 

A — Diameter.     B — Depth.     C — Diameter    of    threads.     D — Depth    of    threads. 
E — Depth  of  recess 

the  bushing  used.  The  bushing  carries  a  pin  which  stops  against  the 
projection  F  to  prevent  turning.  Each  side  of  the  central  locating  stud 
is  grooved  J^  in.  wide  and  )^6  i^^-  deep,  to  reduce  friction  when  sliding  the 
body  over  the  stud.  The  two  setscrew  holes  in  the  side,  for  both  the  cap 
and  the  adapter,  are  tapped  with  the  fixture  shown  in  Fig.  530.  Fig. 
531  shows  the  gages  for  this  suboperation. 

Drilling  the  Detent  Hole. — The  next  suboperation.  Fig.  532,  is  perhaps 
one  of  the  most  difficult  on  account  of  the  depth  of  the  detent  hole  and 
the  fact  that  the  small  drill  must  break  through  the  cross-hole  already 
drilled  for  the  centrifugal  bolt.  The  piece  is  located  by  this  centrifugal 
bolt  hole,  as  in  the  other  cases,  by  the  spring  pin  ;S,  while  the  body  fits 
over  the  post  P  with  its  flattened  sides.  The  hinged  lid  E  is  fastened  by 
a  quarter  turn  of  the  screw  F  and  the  body  held  firmly  in  place  by  the 
jackscrew  G.  The  bushing  U  fits  into  the  lid  at  C,  the  inner  end  of  the 
bushing  projecting  down  into  the  adapter  recess  so  as  to  guide  the  drill 


Chap.  I] 


THE  DETONATOR  FUSE 


633 


for  the  hole,  which  is  0.221  in.  for  a  depth  of  1.420  in.,  this  diameter 
terminating  just  before  reaching  the  centrifugal  bolt  hole. 

Then  the  bushing  I  is  put  in  place,  guiding  the  small  drill  clear  to 
the  end.  This  drill  is  0.085  in.  in  diameter,  but  as  can  be  seen,  the  bushing 
is  relieved  so  as  to  guide  for  only  the  last  ^i^'m.  and  prevent  friction  in  the 
bushing.  As  the  specifications  call  for  a  square-bottom  hole,  it  is  neces- 
sary to  follow  the  drill  with  a  square-ended  reamer. 


0.556 


'-~^ff, 


(      P         I]_;-jVxf 


1^1 


TOOL  STEEL 

Harcien  end  6n'rTc/. 

\ ;  /l}b__J-    ^,     ""-No.ZSDrill 


COLD-ROLLED  STEEL    ,0 


Kv- 


-^ir 


TOOL  STEEL  **=- 

^rden  c 
Grind 

(o) 


Harden  and  K--/4 '-->\ 
Orlnd..     '       '*       ' 


1 

I 


9! 


MACHINE  STEEL  -« 

MACHINE  STEEL 


L:^; 


u--^- 


Bushinrj  driven  frc^m    ■ 
under  5ide.  Cuf  one  Side 
tprC/earance~. 

i  *  ■ 
:  > 

pja- 

iJi— 

1 :/-rT- ■ 

lJ. 

r— -^i 


-^w-- 


'i -16  Tap 


•  Ream 


^ 


CAST  IRON 


■3i 


[5]s 


1 

\B 
\ 

•f^ 

1 

/ 

.  _/ 

^_- 


t^ 


>i  :  k 


Counferbore 


Ornoye  each  5>de  j  Wide  a  4  Oeep 
FIG.    532.      FIXTURE   FOR  DRILLING   DETENT  HOLES 


This  detent  hole  is  tapped  by  the  simple  fixture  shown  in  Fig.  533. 
This  is  simply  to  hold  it  square  while  running  in  the  0.261-in.  tap  with  36 
threads  per  inch.     The  index  pin  S  prevents  any  tendency  to  turn. 

The  gages  are  shown  in  Fig.  534.  The  gage  E^  which  shows  the 
relation  between  the  detent  hole  and  the  percussion-pellet  hole,  is  of 


634 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 


[Sec.  IV 


interest.  The  cross-piece  of  the  gage  is  put  into  the  percussion-pellet 
hole  and  the  gage  body  is  inserted  in  the  adapter  hole  so  that  the  side 
stud  enters  the  detent  hole  and  the  center  stud  goes  up  and  embraces 
the  cross-piece. 


FIG.  533. 


,n\  Groove  eac/f  s/ae 
H^       ^widexideep 

FIXTURES   FOR  TAPPING  DETENT  HOLE 


The  oblong  slot  for  the  spanner  wrench  is  milled  in  the  fixture  shown 
in  Fig.  535.  This  carries  the  body  B  horizontally  on  the  post  P  and  locks 
it  in  place  by  means  of  the  swinging  clamp  E^  which  has  a  cross-arm  B. 
spanning  the  adapter  opening.     This  is  locked  in  position  by  the  latch  ¥, 


I 


^f/.7>lf<- 


//of /ess 


\<f.420 


^  //to 

^^  36  Th'dsper 


Inch  /?.H. 
0 


._ 

^S 

\ 

Hi 

^^■■0.082 

L0.I95 

I 


FIG.  534.   GAGES  FOR  DETENT  HOLES 

A — Diameter  bottom  detent  hole.  B — Depth  of  bottom  of  detent  hole.  C — Diameter  top  detent 
hole.  D — Threaded  diameter  detent  hole.  E — Relation  of  detent  and  percussion-pellet  holes.  F — 
Relation    of    top    detent    and    graze-pellet    holes- 


The  small  end  mill  is  located  and  guided  by  the  hardened  bushing  7, 
while  the  body  is  moved  back  and  forth  under  it  to  produce  the  oblong 
hole.  The  body  with  the  post  P  and  the  indexing  stop  &  is  mounted  on 
the  slide  G,  which  is  moved  back  and  forth  in  the  body  D  by  means  of  the 


Chap.  I] 


THE  DETONATOR  FUSE 


635 


lever  L.  The  amount  of  movement  is  determined  by  the  position  of  the 
stop  screws  TT.  By  feeding  the  rapidly  revolving  end  mill  down  at  the 
same  time  the  body  is  moved  back  and  forth  underneath  it,  the  oblong 
slot  is  quickly  produced. 


FIG.    535.      FIXTURE   FOR  MILLING  OBLONG  SPANNER-WRENCH''hOLB 


The  gages  are  given  in  Fig.  536.  The  lines  show  the  proper  location 
of  the  hole. 

The  Working  Parts. — The  graze  pellet,  which  fits  in  the  center  of 
the  body  and  carries  the  explosive  material  in  the  upper  end,  is  shown  in 
detail  in  Fig.  537.     This  illustration  gives  the  tolerance  allowed  in  the 


l/'/K 


rm 


'I 


FIG.    536.       GAGES   FOR   SPANNER-WRENCH   SLOT 

A — Height  of  hole  on  body.     B — Size  of  hole 

various  parts,  the  largest  limit  being  0.005  in.  The  pellet  is  made  from 
%6-in.  diameter  brass  rod  and  averages  about  10  to  the  pound.  The 
specifications  call  for  a  brass  having  a  yield  point  of  8  tons  and  a  breaking 
point  of  20  tons  per  sq.  in.,  with  an  elongation  of  20  per  cent.  These 
are  long  tons  of  2,240  lb. 

This  is  an  automatic  screw-machine  job.  National  Acme  No.  52  four- 
spindle  machines  being  used  for  all  the  small  work.     The  operation 


636 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 


[Sec.  IV 


view,  Fig.  537,  shows  the  sequence  in  which  the  various  surfaces  are 
machined,  the  hole  in  the  end  being  drilled  and  the  outside  and  the  small 
ends  rough-formed  in  the  first  suboperation.     The  second  suboperation 


>'iO.OOS 


WZ6  Threads  per  Inch,  /^i^htHand 
Br i  fish  Sfandard  fjne  Screw  Thread 


K 1.190  ------ ->i  ^^        Briilsh  Sfandard fjne Screw Th; 

V ^^^5  >1          ^500"       j^xWWBS"    ^.^^cessed  fo hoffonr  of/fyread 
\to.oo2   I        moosl M^Hl  . ^-lo 


10 
\-^.Tr 


0J80„  j; ; , 

'0.005      aos''    Ni.^    U-o/jsl 
to.oos  taoos 

G/fAZ£  PELLET 


,0 


lb  lb 

Opera+ions 


'^ 


-H      YO-175 
X 


^^0042" 


^:i^^^'--"^ 


i^pK^^-i 


ZI 


'-■■Ij-Threads  Lead 
TOOL  ^zz\.(Harden) 
SPECIAL  TAP 


"i^    Y 
"^        GroundLeff 
„  ■\QO^^MVuHar7d,bofh 
u:±  >i  Ends  ■; 


TOOL  STEEL  (Harden) 
RECESSING  TOOL 

FIG.    537.       GRAZE   PELLET  DETAILS 
Details  of  graze  pellet.     Sequence  of  operation.     Special  tools  used  in  automatic  screw  machine 


SPECIAL  TAPDPILL 


i®  Bii 


Pin  for  sfop  when  fever 
is  in  damping  position 


^^,  iSWds  perlnc/i 

mm  I 


? 

o 

o 


[^ 


jII 


J 


Dowei  Hofes 


Tap 


8-52  Screws 

FIG.    538.      DRILLING   FIXTURE    FOR   CENTER   HOLE    OF    GRAZE    pELLET 


cuts  the  recess  at  the  bottom  of  the  tapped  hole  and  finish-turns  the  back 
end  of  the  piece.  The  next  spindle  position  taps  the  hole,  and  the 
piece  is  finished  by  the  cutting-off  slide.     This  completes  the  fourth 


Chap.  I] 


THE  DETONATOR  FUSE 


637 


suboperation.,  leaving  only  the  long  center  hole  to  be  drilled.  The  tools 
used  are  shown  in  Fig.  537.     The  production  is  300  per  hr.  per  machine. 

The  gages  for  the  graze  pellet  (nine  in  number)  are  shown  in 
Fig.  539.  These  cover  the  length,  diameters,  threads,  taper  and  hole 
diameter. 

This  hole  is  only  0.05  in.  in  diameter  and  long  in  proportion— a  trifle 
over  an  inch— so  that  the  question  of  clearing  the  drill  becomes  important. 
A  No.  55  high-speed  drill  is  used  in  a  Leland-Gifford  drilHng  machine, 
which  runs  at  10,000  r.p.m.  The  drilling  fixture  shown  in  Fig.  538  holds 
the  graze  pellet  in  the  V-block  A,  the  clamping  being  done  by  the  hook 
bolt  B,  which  is  drawn  into  place  by  the  threaded  lever  C.  This  driUing 
fixture  is  small  and  can  be  easily  handled,  which  secures  an  output  of 
120  pieces  per  hour  for  each.  On  account  of  the  length  of  these  holes 
it  is  necessary  to  clear  the  drill  frequently— about  20  times  per  hole  on 
the  average  run. 


L0SJ4 


>\JJ3567 


M/3->i  t<> 


L0J7"->\  k'^  ^1 


G 


Haoss, 

•  LOMS" 


I 


H 


FIG.    539.       GAGES  FOR  THE   GRAZE   PELLET 
A — Total  length.     B — Diameter  of  body.     C — Diameter  at  top.     D — Diameter  of  stem.     E — 
Length  of  stem.     F — Angle  of  end  of  stem.     G — Diameter  and  depth  of  screw  recess.     H — Length  of 
body.     I — Diameter  of  central  hole 

Centrifugal  Bolt. — The  centrifugal  bolt  is  the  simplest  piece  in  the 
entire  fuse,  being  a  cylinder  cut  from  %2-in-  diameter  brass  rod,  and 
averages  about  232  pieces  to  the  pound.  It  is  made  of  the  same  material 
as  the  graze  pellet.  The  dimensions  and  limits  are  given  in  Fig.  540. 
The  sequence  of  the  automatic  machine  operations,  shown  in  Fig.  540, 
consists  of  sizing  the  outside  diameter  with  a  circular  forming  tool, 
squaring  to  length,  shaving  the  end  and  finally  cutting  off,  the  second 
cross-slide  operation  being  omitted.  The  automatic  turns  out  1,020 
pieces  per  hr.  per  machine  with  single  tooling,  the  tools  being  shown  in 
Fig.  540. 

Detent-Hole  Screw  Plug. — The  screw  plug  for  the  detent  hole  is 
shown  in  Fig.  541.  The  screw  plugs  are  made  from  %2-in.  brass  rod — 
the  same  as  the  graze  pellet— and  run  about  215  to  the  pound.     These 


638 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 


[Sec.  IV 


simply  form  or  size,  square  and  thread.     The  production  is  750  per  hr. 
per  machine. 

Percussion  Detonator  Plug. — The  percussion  detonator  plug  shown 
in  Fig.  542  is  somewhat  similar  to  the  detent-hole  screw  plug,  but  re- 


1^ 


mooes 


la 


lb 


i 


BRASS 


CENTRIFUGAL 


Id 

Opera+ions 


BOLT 


TOOL  STEEL 

(Harden) 
POINTING  TOOL 


Grind  for  rake 

TOOL  ^lZZi.(Harden) 

SHAVING  TOOL  BLADE 

FIG.   540 


-tnr 


TOOL  %lzz\^(Harden) 
SHAVING  TOOL  REST 


^?^ 


B 


Details  of  centrifugal  bolt. 


CENTRIFUGAL-BOLT  DETAILS 

Sequence  of  operations.     Special  tools  used  in  automatic  screw  machine. 
A,  diameter;  B,  length 


ZSThys'-perlnch/^.H. 
BriHsh  Sfc/.Fine  5cre>vTM<^ 


BRASS 
PLUG  (detent) 


\a 


Id 


lb 


Ic 

Opera+ions 


^6  Th'ds.perlnch  R.H. 
A 

FIG.    541.       DETENT  SCREW  PLUG  DETAILS 

Details  of  detent  screw  plug.     Sequence  of  operation.     Gages;  A,  diameter;  B.  length 


quires  the  additional  operation  of  drilling  the  two  holes  for  the  double- 
pin  wrench  or  key,  by  which  it  is  screwed  into  place.  It  is  also  of  the 
same  metal,  is  ^%2  ^^'  i^i  diameter  and  runs  about  75  to  the  pound.  It 
requires  two  turret  suboperations  and  two  of  the  cross-slides  as  shown 


Chap.  I] 


THE  DETONATOR  FUSE 


639 


in  the  operation  view,  Fig.  542.  These  form  and  drill,  ream  and  square 
the  bottom,  thread  and  cut  off.  The  special  pointing  tool  and  the  cir- 
cular forming  tools  are  shown  in  Fig.  542.  The  production  is  720  per 
hr.  per  machine. 

The  drilling  is  done  in  the  fixture  shown  in  Fig.  543,  which  has  several 
interesting  features.  The  piece  L  is  held  in  a  slotted  pocket  in  the 
end  of  the  lever  A,  which  is  pivoted  at  /  so  as  to  swing  the  plug  under  the 
jig  plate  after  it  has  been  placed  in  position.  It  also  swings  clear  around 
to  bring  the  different  drill  bushings  under  the  drill. 

In  practice  the  plugs  are  laid  on  the  plate  E  and  slid  through  the  slot 
D  into  place  in  the  end  of  the  lever  when  in  the  dotted  position  shown. 


36  Th'ds.perlnch  R.H.    I^'^<^<^^  I 
BriHsh  Sm  Fine  Screw  Thh/    '^ 


\<a043 


Ic 

Opera+iorts 


PERCUSSION  DETOMTOR  PLUG 


Polish  cufiin^  faces  on 
diamehrs  a0er  iiarc/eninq 


TOOL  ^^LiHarden)      .      \ 
I ^^-X'- 


FIG.  542.   PERCUSSION  DETONATOR  PLUGS  AND  TOOLS 


SPECIAL  P0JNr/N6  TOOL 


m 


The  lever  is  then  swung  into  the  operating  position,  carrying  the  piece 
L  past  the  swinging  plate  B,  which  keeps  it  from  coming  out  of  its  pocket 
and  which  is  controlled  by  the  light  spring  C,  so  as  to  help  locate  and  hold 
the  plug  for  drilling  when  the  lever  A  strikes  the  stop  G.  This  is  a  some- 
what ticklish  drilling  job,  as  the  drill  cuts  through  the  thread  on  the 
outside  as  shown.  The  depth  is  also  an  important  feature,  owing  to  the 
small  amount  of  metal  in  the  head,  which  is  the  reason  for  the  flat  bottom 
in  the  hole.  The  holes  are  drilled  separately,  the  work-holding  portion 
swinging  through  a  half  circle  for  locating  the  holes.  The  center  dis- 
tance is  0.32  in.     The  gages  are  given  in  Fig.  544. 

The  Percussion  Needle  Plug. — The  percussion  needle  plug,  Fig.  545, 
is  a  rather  fussy  piece  to  handle  because  of  its  small  size  and  the  four 
holes,  0.04  in.  in  diameter,  drilled  around  it.     It  is  made  from  %2-in. 


(540 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 


[Sec.  IV 


brass  rod,  of  the  same  quality  of  brass  as  that  used  for  the  screw  plug, 
running  210  to  the  pound.     This  plug  is  entirely  an  automatic  screw- 


machine  job,  except  the  drilling  of  the  holes  and  the  staking  of  the  needle 
into  place.  The  sequence  of  operations  is  shown  in  Fig.  545,  the  machines 
being  single-tooled,  as  in  the  previous  cases.     The  suboperations  are 


Chap.  I] 


THE  DETONATOR  FUSE 


641 


form  and  center,  drill,  thread  and  cut  off.     Two  of  the  tools  are  shown  in 
Fig.  545.     The  production  is  700  per  hr.  per  machine. 

The  drilling  jig,  Fig.  546,  is  almost  identical  with  that  shown  in  Fig. 
543.  The  extremely  close  center  distance  prevents  the  four  small  holes 
being  drilled  at  one  time.     There  is  also  a  difference  in  the  slotted  pocket 


i6  Threads  per  Inch  R.H. 
FIG.    544. 


iLOlTS' 


PERCUSSION   DETONATOR    PLUG    GAGES 


at  the  end  of  the  lever  A,  owing  to  the  fact  that  there  are  several  holes 
to  be  drilled  and  that  these  go  clear  through  the  plug.  With  these  excep- 
tions the  drilling  fixtures  are  practically  the  same.  The  work  holder 
can  swing  in  a  complete  circle.     The  gages  are  shown  in  Fig.  547. 


■ms'icoos' 

r-t-1 


E> 


WZd  _ 

W0.2"-A56nreads^/nchm  |<. ^:p.l25'f 0.005' 
BrJf/sh  S'fol.  Fine  Screw  Thread' 


la 


Percussion    Needle   Plug. 


Id 


j^  No.BIDrlll.^ 
■lb 


0.168' Diam. 


W- 


Ic 
Operations. 


:?^rfi. 


J/ 


—-^r=^- Ground 
f^.-y    Left  Hand 


TOOL  STEEL 
Ends  Hardened  and  Drayvn 


(a)  Special   Drill. 

Polish  Culling  Faces  on 
Diamefers  aFfer  Hardeninpi 
j'K-v->i  ^ 


=      !   (B)  Form 
c^;    -5   .1      Tool.^ 

;      "^TOOL  STEEL 
i:_±.     HARDEN 


FIG.  545. 


(A8cB) 
percussion  needle-plug  and  tools 


The  Percussion  Pellet. — The  percussion  pellet  is  closely  related  to 
the  graze  pellet,  the  latter  being  designed  to  act  as  soon  as  the  former 
has  been  thrown  forward  by  the  impact  of  the  shell.  The  percussion 
pellets  are  made  from  ij'^2-iii-  diameter  brass  rod  and  average  29  pieces 
to  the  pound.  The  other  end  is  jig  drilled  for  the  impelling  spring.  The 
pellets  are  shown  in  detail  in  Fig.  548,  and  also  the  sequence  of  operations. 


41 


642 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 


[Sec.  IV 


The  pellets  are  formed  with  a  box  tool,  drilled  for  the  tap  and  centered 
for  the  other  hole  at  the  first  operation.  Next  comes  the  recessing  for 
the  tap  which  follows,  the  fourth  suboperation  being  the  drilling  of  the 
central  hole  and  the  cutting  of  the  piece  from  the  bar.  The  tools  are 
shown  in  Fig.  548,  the  production  being  320  per  hr.  per  machine. 

The  back  end  of  the  pellet  is  drilled  for  the  spring  pocket  by  turning 
the  jig  on  end  and  using  the  necessary  drills  to  produce  the  square-bottom 


TcipJ0-B4\      I   DrjI/fiDeep 


Flush  wM  Bottom  ofGroo\ 


'^Tap4-iDeep 
(Case  Harden  No+ches) 
^^-2996"   B.997S"—>\ 

\\  \   \\    \  ill \W~Z^ 

vef^     \         i  Mil   !       Ill  :t>_Y 


:^-ti!^::::::^Y::!l 


MACHINE  STEEL 


-rr 


1   <hi^ 


0.3I2„ 


m/s>\    \<-Lp./2 

4H6ks,0.04"D/am. 
//o.60Dn// 


II 


9# 


i*jfc 

^;i* //  MACHINE  STEEL 
Q/ao  _  It       . , 

0227-0126- 


0./87S 


|CC..,  Harden)    P^<M 


'i  Em    ^'i^©  r  S 


(^^ 


g"       O.I85S„ 
'^\<-—/§—>\0./&^ 


DZ£' 


Q457S-~.. 


kj*]  a/28 

Tom  \ 


r-^^i       Olarden)^i-^X7'       ^^feisHzZI]!^^^ 
MACHINE  STEEL  TOOL  STEEl  ^  MACHINE  STEEL  ^"^ 


„  0.4SS5^  ^  Qjjj"     IT  „  ii"  z" 

W     I  %.^  A     AU.S.S.Th'd       ^^Mr"  ..  ■•^^'0-^f^.^,_n 


If 

(Harden)  (Case  HaVden)    ^'■^'^  NXm^ srsEL       mcmesren 

TOOL  STEEL  MACHINE  STEEL 
FIG.    546.      DRILL   JIG   FOR   PERCUSSION   NEEDLE   PLUG 


a250S, 
Q2S02S 


hole.  The  drilling  of  the  cross-holes  is  done  in  the  fixture  shown  in  Fig. 
549.  These  holes  are  drilled  in  two  separate  operations  because  of  the 
close  center  distance.  The  large  hole  is  drilled  and  reamed  to  the  10- 
deg.  taper  shown,  the  small  diameter  being  only  0.15  in.,  while  the  other 
hole  through  the  side  of  the  spring  recess  is  but  0.10  in.  The  pellet  is 
located  by  the  stop  screw  A  and  held  in  place  by  the  hd  B^  which  clamps 
it  into  the  V-block  C.     The  lid  is  locked  by  the  swinging  cam  lever  D. 


Chap.  I] 


THE  DETONATOR  FUSE 


643 


The  gages  for  the  percussion  pellet  are  shown  in  Fig.  550. 

The  Detents. — The  top  detent,  shown  in  Fig.  551,  is  of  phosphor 
bronze  or  similar  metal  made  from  %2-iii-  round  stock  and  run  about 
235  to  the  pound  of  stock. 


-rr-TL. r- t'ldu       ^  =*; 


56  Threads  per  Inch  J?.Ji. 


1^     1^^ 


:fcD^ 


S^amp:LO.m 
■^    X 


Sfamp^  Gage  for  Spanner  fio/es 
I  Piece  NaS    //alOODef: 


.Sedioft 


^  k'l-CF.S.  Pacic  Harden,  i'^Sflong.MHI  Slafe,^^^ 

inc^'        ^tHOpil"  (i'H'Diam.Dnri  Rod  Grind  foSize^long 

0.058  ■>^J/'Pf  m64  ^=2-%"Diam.Drii/PodJ'lang. 

FIG.  547. 


D=Z-'^"Diam  Driil  Pod.^  Long. 
GAGES   FOR    PERCUSSION    NEEDLE    PLUGS 


The  operations  of  the  automatic  are  also  shown  in  Fig.  551,  the  stem 
being  finished  in  two  box-tool  suboperations.  The  round  head  is  formed 
and  shaved  by  the  forming  slide  for  the  third  suboperation,  the  fourth 
suboperation  being  the  cut  off.  Some  of  the  tools  are  given  in  Fig.  551. 
The  production  is  300  per  hr.  per  machine. 


Ends  frandened 
and  draym 


Corner  slighHy  rounded 


Oi 


^''Recessed  h 
bothm  of  thread 


.VP" 


ojeaiQoos 


\  Yf^^   Tool  Steel 


O.IBS 


«^t=4*. 


m 


\o.4oql  ?^Q.iso'iaoos 


moor  y^iimoo^ 

\iQOOS  j.  I 

H-ios'^aoos-"—^  7hd. 

pf/Ki/ssm  P£U£r 


^'Ground  Left-  HandCBofh  ends) 
A 


Qi-ojoomos' 
H=aisofo.oos 

Brihsh  SM F/ne  Scretr    \^  ^"        A-r^^ 


[<-„.:..£..':. ._'.^  Tool  S+eel  (NanknJ 
36Th'ds.per]richMSrif/sh  fine  Scretr  T/jU 


Id 


Id 


P 


v^!±IM1 


Opera+ions 


FIG.  548. 


Ub 


1^©     i^K_ 
Ecceniric        ,/|l  a."  J 

Tool  S+eel  (Harden) 

(^,acj  'VOLS 
PERCUSSION   PELLET   AND    TOOLS 


•'   r- 


The  lower  detent  is  shown  hkewise  in  Fig.  551  and  also  the  sequence 
of  operations.  This  detent  is  also  made  from  the  phosphor-bronze  rod, 
%2  in.  in  diameter,  running  something  over  200  to  the  pound.  The 
only  subsequent  operation  is  the  assembling  of  these  two  parts  of  the 


644 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 


[Sec.  IV 


detent  by  staking  down  the  beveled  edge.  Two  of  the  tools  are  shown 
in  Fig.  551,  the  production  being  700  per  hr.  per  machine.  The  gages 
of  both  detents  are  shown  in  Fig.  551. 


~i 


I.    I 
J_-| 


b 

@(o) 

n 


i 


IT 


CAST  IRON 


FIG.    549.       DEILL   FIXTURE    FOR    PELLET   CROSSHOLES 

Fig.  552  shows  the  cap.     This  gives  all  necessary  details  and  toler- 
ances and  shows  the  sequence  of  operation  on  the  screw  machines. 
These  caps  are  now  being  made  of  the  same  grade  of  brass  as  the 


=oo= 


No.S- 
Z2Toip\ 


o  rDowef 


MACHINE  STE5L 
CASE.  HARD 


?h- 

r  '^••■• 

■M.8-  I 
'     ^^Tap\: 

XO^ 

'^'o 

mcH 

CAS 

INE  STEEL 
^  HARD 

p   o    !l 

(o;   M    °) 

fx^^    (^■No.25 Drflf 


^    ^- No.  40  Drill     ^ 


MACHINE  STEEL 
FIG.    550.       PERCUSSION    PELLET    GAGES 


graze  pellets  and  other  parts  mentioned,  but  later  they,  as  well  as  the 
bodies,  will  be  made  of  steel.  They  are  cut  from  1^^-in.  diameter  brass 
rod  and  require  nearly  J'^  lb.  of  stock  each.     The  operations  are :     Rough- 


Chap.  I] 


THE  DETONATOR  FUSE 


645 


O.S50l       „ 

'<iO.0O5-^J)02" 

ai4S    0.76%        \H  -Ic 

'0.002  Operations 

Phosphor  Bronze 
TOP  DETENT 


(Harcfenancf  /y  .„^ 


,'r  'asea 


'3^7' 


High-Speed 


— — ,  nign-0[ 

-  Charance-l^     S+eel 
CHAMFE/?/m  TOOL     ,7",, 


■"  ^""    (Harden)    ^^^^ 
^     BLANKS  FO/? 

m4    ^        POUGH/NGBOX 
TOOL 


0.03S.^ 

^        4        Pof/shcumng  feces  on-         ^^-Ki^' 
%i'-:^^J'  c^ic^mefers^erMening     ^^'^-^f^^'^   ^ 

^"""^    !        ^^^\  ■>il^i^-  High-Speed  Steel 

/^1C^^  il^r   /^      V\         .          'r^^^  -J^^-^^r^  anc^  Ground) 

^!?    W      ^-^      //      Dr/7/fo 

^  , ,  //c7/c/^r 

^f^f5^  High-Speed  S^ee\CNart/en) 
FORM  TOOL 


^<Vi 


mooBs 


P^ome"    0.280 


On'nd  for  Rake 
Shaving  foo/  and  res/  /o  he  made  in 
in  one  s/r/p  andcufaparf 
SHAV/NG  TOOL  AND  REST 


^ais^-eo'' 


0-080Sf^nj?;         ;^^      SHAV/NGTOOLA 

\4S    -:^  iSW3^^'cmefers^e> 


<Vj 


■-0J50 


Tool  Steel 


c.c,:.^.iS     '^^ 


Operations  ^.^, 

BOTTOM  DETENT  (harden) 

PO/NT/NGWOL 


^  faces  on 
aifer  hardening 


Too!  ^\Qe\  (Harden) 
FORM  TOOL 


S)l#0S^|(@)[] 


A 
FIG.    551. 


DETAILS   OF  DETENTS,    TOOLS   AND   GAGES 


^    Brass 
\)<l500k0/^^ 

\/////////^  assskooes' 


Recessed  h  Boffom 

of  Thread 

A<24  Threads  per  Jhch, 

Righi  Hand;Br/Hsh 

^Standard  fine  Screw 

Thread 


g  I  QSWiM'     CAP 


^ii.ii/'A^.iff Ooeration 


Operations 
FIG.    552.      FUSE   CAP 


646 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 


[Sec.  IV 


^ss^-^ 


'1^ 


=fenr 


^1 


U- 


^^ 


15     1^ 


•^ 


.,  / 


,>e^ 


W 


'ote' 


in 

->\  .5 
o 

D 

s: 


k-^ 


._! 


m 


r 


-1 

^^  1 

ifi     &  1 

I  ? 
£      ± 


,.0110 


m 


'jD820r<' 


*\59Z0 


^- 


"1 


S  ?^ 


om^ 


i^u 


Cj 


X 


Chap.  I| 


THE  DETONATOR  FUSE 


647 


"fir 


I^Ai'' 


<V4 


v^ i 


II 


I  "^-^  :^-^ 


648 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 


[Sec.  IV 


forming  the  rounded  end  and  form  the  thread,  including  the  recess  at 
the  end  of  the  thread,  and  spot-drilling  for  the  needle.  The  needle  hole 
is  then  drilled  and  both  the  flat  faces  are  made  square.  The  thread  is 
next  cut,  and  finally  the  head  is  finish-formed  and  cut  off.  The  produc- 
tion is  150  per  hr.  per  machine. 


1 1 

.  1 

meis" 

laees' 

\   ^ 

*  1 

H-OM"  ^    LQ095" 


>\^m09 


LO.07 


£3 


O  O' 


24  Threads  per  Inch  P.H. 

FIG.    555.       GAGES    FOR   THE    FUSE    CAP 
A — Total  height.     B — Outside  diameter.     C — Diameter  of  wrench  holes. 


holes.     E — ^Length  of  threaded  end.     F — Diameter  of  threads. 


D — Spacing  of  wrench 
G — Contour  of  cap 


Fig.  553  shows  the  tools,  which  give  150  per  hr.  per  machine,  these 
being  done  on  the  No.  55  National  Acme. 

The  drilling  fixture  for  the  fuse  cap.  Fig.  554,  is  simply  an  adaptation 
of  that  used  for  the  percussion  plug  cap  and  the  detonator  needle  plug. 
It  is  enlarged  and  modified  to  suit  the  shape  of  the  piece  being  handled; 


mBo: 


h reads        .  i^  -i\56Th reads     v 
per  In.      ^A  per/n.f?.H.\ 


36Th reads     .  H- 0.375- 


jA  ^STE£L\ 


5lot0.040"wide 
A 


^^5/afX.a032"w/de,  '"^  5/ofX,  0.03Zwde, 


%^deep  g  ydeep 

F1G.60  ^ 


lib  Operations        rS  Operations      ,^fv ^^ 1  ( 

cJ      on  Brass  Plug  lb)  J  on  Steel         lb\  J 

^^**X^      Tuqal  Bolt         iG        n  Ic 


Operations 
on5teel 
.j^  5e+5crew 


FIG.    556.       DIMENSIONS    AND    OPERATIONS    OF   THE    THREE    SETSCREWS 


but  the  method  of  holding  and  indexing  is  the  same.  The  center  dis- 
tance is  0.413  in.,  and  the  holes  are  drilled  one  at  a  time  by  turning  the 
top  of  the  holder  around  as  with  the  percussion  needle  plug  and  the  cap. 
A  slot  Ke  in.  deep  by  3-^  in.  wide  is  cut  in  the  under  side  of  the  jig  plate 
to  allow  clearance  for  the  tit  which  is  left  when  the  caps  are  cut  from  the 


Chap.  I] 


THE  DETONATOR  FUSE 


649 


bar  in  the  screw  machine.     This  is  afterward  removed  by  grinding.     The 
gages  are  seen  in  Fig.  555. 

Fig.  556  shows  three  small  screws.  The  one  in  brass,  A,  covers  the 
centrifugal  bolt  holes,  while  the  others  are  headless  steel  set  or  grub 
screws  B  clamping  the  adapter  and  C  the  cap.  These  are  entirely  screw- 
machine  jobs,  the  production  being  at  the  rate  of  600  per  hr.  per  machine 

7b  compress  to  a  length  lo  compress  to  a  length 

of  a4S'iO.OB5''mfh a  of  0.40 ±0.035  wifh a 

»eighfof6lb.8oz.       •=.  *.  mighlpf  BIb.Soz. 

K •'-'■ ->|       S  Ends  ground  ^      r< --— ->| 

mmmhm1%  i^^  t  mmm  wrfr"^ 

U /y J    I    ^-'^^        ^^H-a78'-->\ 

5+eel  Piano  Wire,0.026"Diam.+;nnecl  5+eel  Piano  Y/ire,0.024'Diam. tinned 

(13^  Coils)  (9^  Coils) 

spi?ingCdet£/vt)  spring  for  PEf?cussiOf^  pellet 

»rc- dSSO'-A    *^^       YliihaweighlofZkoz. 
Q04S^}<-  \      ^       spring  musf  compress         A    -J. — % 

k'0.450"Muslnofbe  h  OESS'taOes"  M"^.^                     Ul^J 

over  this  dimension  O.D.  5+eel  Music  Wire,  i     \~^'nn7-r"                I    I    ^nnzi" 

mnS'tiustnotbe  O.Ol6"+oO.OI8^Didm.  ^'^   '  ^^^^  „              ^ 

under  this  dimension I.Di  +inneci(3|-CoiIs)               "'-0.0625  Diameter 

CREEP  SPRING  NEEDLES  FOR  CAP  AND  PLUG 

FIG.    557.       FUSE    SPRINGS    AND    PERCUSSION    NEEDLES 


for  the  short  screws  and  500  for  the  long  screws.  They  are  slotted  on  a 
National  Acme  rotary  screw  slotter  at  the  rate  of  about  1,000  per  hr. 
per  machine.     The  sequence  of  operations  is  shown  in  Fig.  556. 

Fuse  Springs  and  Percussion  Needles. — The  balance  of  the  parts 
entering  into  a  completed  detonating  fuse  head  consist  of  the  three 
springs  and  the  percussion  needles,  which  are  made  by  specialists.  Two 
of  the  springs  are  of  the  plain  helical  type,  while  the  third  is  cone  shaped. 


<HI.2 
<LI.I5'- 


i 


— Iv.c?7<?5 — I 


A 

FIG.    558.       GAGES    FOR   SPRINGS 
-Length  gage  for  detent  spring.     B — Length  gage  for  percussion-pellet  spring 


and  is  used  to  hold  the  graze  pellet  away  from  the  percussion  needle 
until  it  meets  with  a  real  obstruction.  These  springs,  with  their  dimen- 
sion specifications,  are  shown  in  detail  in  Fig.  557.  The  material  specie 
fications  of  the  springs  are: 

''The  springs  are  to  be  made  of  steel  piano  wire,  tinned,  and  are  to 
stand  the  tests  laid  down  on  the  drawing.  The  detent  spring  when 
compressed  till  all  the  coils  are  in  contact  for  12  hr.  must  not  set  up  more 


650 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 


[Sec.  IV 


than  0.05  in.  The  percussion  pellet  spring  when  simultaneously  com- 
pressed for  12  hr.  must  not  set  up  more  than  0.03  in/' 

The  needles  for  both  the  cap  and  the  percussion-pellet  detonator 
plug,  which  are  supplied  by  the  Excelsior  Needle  Co.,  are  swaged  and 
then  hardened.  They  are  identical  except  for  a  variation  of  0.05  in.  in 
length.  Fig.  558  shows  the  gages  for  the  springs  and  the  percussion 
needles. 

The  springs  are  tested  by  dead  weight,  the  method  being  shown  in 
Fig.  559.  Different  springs  are  tested  by  the  same  method,  the  plungers 
and  weights  differing  according  to  the  springs  to  be  tested.  The  high 
and  low  limits  of  the  springs,  both  free  and  under  compression,  are  shown 
by  the  distance  between  return  grooves.     The  widths  of  these  grooves 


4Lb. 
8oz. 


2  Lb. 


For  Use  when 
fesHng  Spring 
for  Deferrf-- 


C 


"^ 


^^^ 


^S   k: 


^1 


s^ 


A 
559. 


eioz. 


5i0z. 


L 


c 


^ 


For  Use  when 
^   fesHng  5pring\ 
-^''^    for  Percuss/on 
^^^-f^       Pel/ef '-- 


— i 

Fit  fo 
Gage  Block 


■> 

-- 

I 


DEAD    WEIGHT   FOR   TESTING    SPRINGS 


show  the  tolerance  in  both  positions.  The  spring  is  placed  on  the  re- 
duced portion  of  the  plunger  and  the  whole  inserted  in  the  holder,  the 
weight  being  then  placed  on  top  and  the  compression  noticed. 

The  detent  spring  must  stand  a  dead  weight  of  6  lb.  and  8  oz.,  which 
gives  some  idea  of  the  shock  caused  by  the  acceleration  of  the  projectile. 
For  when  it  is  considered  that  the  detent,  which  weighs  only  a  fraction 
of  an  ounce  compresses  this  spring  and  locks  itself  out  of  the  way  of  the 
centrifugal  bolt,  we  begin  to  realize  something  of  the  effect  of  inertia 
resulting  from  rapid  acceleration  of  the  projectile. 

The  spring  for  the  percussion  pellet  must  carry  2  lb.  8  oz.  and  the 
creep  spring,  which  goes  over  the  graze  pellet,  6  oz.  The  testing  appa- 
ratus is  shown  dX  A^B  and  C,  Fig.  559. 


Chap.  I]  THE  DETONATOR  FUSE 

MAKING  ADAPTERS  FOR  BRITISH  DETONATING  FUSE 


651 


The  adapter,  shown  in  Fig.  560,  is  made  of  machine  steel  l^He  in.' 
in  diameter  and  screwed  inside  the  fuse  body,  making  a  connection  for 
the  gaine,  which  is  screwed  inside  the  adapter. 


-^■^^\  ^14  Threads  per  Inch  P.H. 


Ijs  Diam.  bfeet 


,         rnkm'-^  U- 

\..i-^0.45"t0.005''     I    ^^/  Threads  are  British 
^  "• 'lAB't  0.005'---^ 


5f'd  fine  Scretv  Threads 


FIG.    560.       ADAPTER    FOR  BRITISH   MARK    100    DETONATING    FUSE 

Five  comparatively  simple  main  operations  are  required  in  the  manu- 
facture of  this  connecting  unit,  the  sequence  of  which,  together  with 
brief  data  and  descriptive  sketches,  is  as  follows: 

SEQUENCE  OF  OPERATIONS 

1.  Cutting-o£f,  drilling  and  recessing  blanks. 

2.  Counterboring. 

3.  Tapping. 

4.  Threading. 

5.  Drilling  holes  for  spanner  wrench. 


iiiiHiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii 


^^!il!|iiiii.iiii.i)liJiH.l.iJ.'Ji!il',',',l!l 


^^?^^- 


t^$»jjyy;i^;^y^.^^;;:>sss».'sys?^x  .■yt.»;yysN<s:^^>;^;?>y:s:^siysy>»^^s^^ 


OPERATION   1.       CUTTING-OFF,    DRILLING   AND   RECESSING 

Machine  Used — National  Acme  No.  56. 

Special  Fixture — None. 

Gages— See  Fig.  562. 

Production — 60  per  hr.  per  machine. 


652 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 


[Sec.  IV 


OPERATION    2.       COUNTERBORING 

Machine  Used — Cleveland  automatic.  Special  Fixture — Tilting  magazine. 


Gages— See  Fig.  562. 


Production — 90  per  hr.  per  machine. 


i, 


■^ 


F^^ilF^ 


^TTm^^TTm^"^^^ 


OPERATION   3.       TAPPING 

Machine  Used — Hand  turret,  Smur  &  Kammen. 
Special  Fixtures — Chuck-in  turret  and  tapper  tap. 
Gages— See  Fig.  562. 
Production — 150  per  hr.  per  machine. 


(^ 

• 

i~ 

J— 

d 

U 

OPERATION    4.       THREADING 


Machine  Used — Hand  turret. 
Gages— See  Fig.  562. 


Special  Fixture — Self -opening  die  head. 
Production — 300  per  hr.  per  machine. 


OPERATION   5.      DRILLING 

Machine  Used — ^Leland-Gifford  drilling  machine. 
Special  Fixtures — Sellew  two-spindle  drilling  head. 
Gages— See  Fig.  562. 
Production — 400  per  hr.  per  machine. 


Chap.  I] 


THE  DETONATOR  FUSE 


653 


The  first  operation  is  performed  on  National  Acme  Automatics  No. 
56  and  consists  of  four  suboperations.  The  first  of  these  is  drilling  the 
bar  stock  for  the  hole  to  be  tapped  subsequently  for  the  insertion  of  the 
gaine;  the  second,  counterboring  for  the  bottom  recess;  the  third,  turning 
the  shoulder;  and  the  fourth  in  cutting-off  the  formed  blank.  This  most 
complex  of  the  five  main  operations  consumes  but  about  1  min.,  the  pro- 
duction from  one  machine  being  60  per  hour. 

The  second  operation  consists  in  counterboring  the  top  recess  and  is 
done  on  a  Cleveland  automatic  at  a  rate  of  90  pieces  per  hour  per  ma- 
chine, a  tilting  magazine  being  employed. 


Forging 
(Finish) 


"T 

— 

*  1 
■!? 

w 

^1 

•1' 

Q 

I    J 

Tap  for  Filisferheao 
Screw,  I k" long 


^-18  Tap  -for  Filishrhead 
Screw,  I  "Long     ^ 
Laphr^:^    (^iOrive 
..  3.1-mm.      Too!  S-t«el 

..    .    '^J^r    .    ^'''"  (Harden  and  Grind) 
Machine  Steel 
(Harden) 

FIG.    561.       DRILLING    FIXTURE    FOR    ADAPTER    WRENCH   HOLES 


The  third  operation  is  the  tapping  of  the  thread  for  receiving  the 
gaine,  this  being  done  in  almost  any  kind  of  lathe,  although  a  hand  turret 
is  preferable.  A  tapper  tap  is  held  in  a  suitable  chuck  on  the  lathe 
spindle,  and  the  adapter  is  held  in  the  turret  while  it  is  being  fed  over 
the  tap.  When  the  shank  of  the  tapper  tap  is  full,  it  is  removed  from 
the  chuck,  the  pieces  are  slid  off  and  the  operation  is  repeated. 

The  next  operation  is  cutting  the  threads  on  the  outside  of  the  adapter, 
this  also  being  done  in  a  plain  turret.  The  work  is  held  in  a  spring  chuck, 
and  a  self-opening  die  is  used  for  the  threading.  Dies  of  the  Geometric, 
Modern,  and  Warner  &  Swasey  types  are  all  used  for  this  work. 


654 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 


[Sec.  IV 


A  fifth  and  last  operation  is  drilling  the  two  holes  for  the  side  spanner 
wrench.  This  is  done  in  a  simple  drilling  jig  shown  in  Fig.  561.  The 
adapter  A  fits  into  the  block  B  and  is  held  in  place  by  the  hook  bolt  C, 
which  has  a  rounded  surface  on  the  inside  of  the  hook  and  a  pin  handle 
D  at  the  other  end.  It  is  held  closed  by  the  spring  F.  This  hook  bolt 
is  swung  to  an  angle  of  about  90  deg.  to  release  and  to  lock  the  adapter. 
The  pin  E  affords  a  stop  for  the  handle  D  when  in  a  locked  position. 

The  gages  used  are  shown  in  Fig.  562. 


f4  Threads  per  Inch,  Righi  Hancf 
A 


1 

«.x 

feA 

•-0 

•^ 

i^ 

>^ 

V 

V 

^ 

V 

5^ 


H.Q255^  \* 
a^ 


LQ24S 


IXn 


E 
H.0.605^      r. 


IZmdsp^rInch,R.H.     'LO.SdS 


■H  H-0.13 


FIG.  562.   GAGES  USED  FOR  THE  ADAPTERS 

A — Diameter  of  outside  screw  thread.  B — Diameter  of  plain  part.  C — Length  of  screw.  D — 
Total  length.  E — Diameter  and  depth  of  recess  at  top.  F — Diameter  and  length  of  internal  thread. 
G— Diameter  of  small  bore.  H — Depth  and  distance  of  keyholes.  I — Diameter  of  keyholes.  J — Low 
or  "not  go"  diameter  of  screw  threads 


Assembling. — Bringing  the  various  parts  together  and  assembling 
fuses  at  a  rate  sufficient  to  insure  the  desired  delivery  is  an  interesting 
problem,  for  it  is  the  assembling  which  shows  up  the  production  of  the 
various  departments  and  indicates  very  clearly  where  the  equipment  or 
labor  is  insufficient. 

The  assembling  room  is  so  divided  as  to  keep  the  bodies  moving, 
the  various  parts  of  the  fuses  being  put  in  place  by  different  girls.  The 
small  parts  are  kept  in  the  boxes  shown  and  the  girls  are  expert  in  putting 
them  together.  A  compressed-air  hose  is  provided  for  each  operator  for 
blowing  out  any  dirt  or  dust  and  assisting  in  putting  the  detent 
in  a  place  where  the  small  stem  of  the  upper  detent  does  not 
readily  find  its  way  into  the  small  hole.  Usually,  however,  this  is  accom- 
plished by  a  sort  of  swinging  motion  in  line  with  the  detent,  which  seems 
to  centralize  the  parts  so  that  they  drop  into  place  quite  readily. 


Chap.  1] 


THE  DETONATOR  FUSE 


655 


One  of  the  most  troublesome  of  the  assembly  details  is  the  handling 
of  the  percussion  needles  for  both  the  cap  and  the  percussion  plug.  The 
latter  is  the  more  difficult  because  it  is  the  shorter,  the  lengths  being  0.25 
and  0.20  in.  respectively. 

The  needles  for  the  cap  are  handled  in  the  end  of  a  sort  of  pencil-case 
affair,  which  enables  the  operator  to  place  the  split  end  of  the  holder 


-/2ii- 


i*n-, 


o    o    o    o    o 


OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 


2,k 


^ri 


50,  Q067  Drill;  spoi  from  B,  use  taper  reamer  In  ho/  rcxm 


-z 


0.067, 


Machine  S+eel 
A 


Col 


Cold- Rolled 
S+eel 


Sweaf 


•^yi 


lef 


Cold-Rolled    ^fy^\ 
..-,..>,  iS+eel  U-v-'J 

\<-i>\    [  Drill  Rod 


I  Y'-y  ^  Holes  equally  spaced 0.37S apart  h#  A  ^P ' '  ^°<\ 

I i  I.,--.,-    .^.      %^...^,-       .l,~  .-.-  -   ,^--~,-.,-  ,..-  ;^ .^.--.     J.N^*  cs    (Harden^ 

hn;j   -■,  ^    -     .    r    -^  ■    ■    ■     :    .     ■    ,.    ;    ,    :   V    r    .    ^    ,-.    :    r   ,    ,r    ■    -   -   ^    -^ -^         t<^H 

'^    *        50  SpohAS'x^  'deep  for  /T  must  be  in  line  with  center  of  holes  ■>|  |<-  0.2^8'  "^C^ 

I I  I     1  oijo  !l  om  O'i  o  ''Om  o  'I  o!i  ol'  o  "  o  M  ol|  o  vo  i!  0;I  oli  oi'  o  i''"o  11  oi.  c  ilo  l:o  ,1  o  |!  o  j;-o  I'0 1,  o  'i  o  ire4^  i    i  I  "^Ifx, 


Locate  holes  in  table  of 
machine  from  this  part  Plug 
hole  in  machine  if  necessary 


Machine  S+eei 
B 


•^    M' 


'0.1875 


6 


iwith 

Spring 
to  suit 


o 


,^i^r/,  ^oriii^^^'^-^^- 

^rill  Rod (/fardenj  k Drive 

Cold-Rolled  Sfeel 


h'\ 


ksiip 


hff6 


^^3: 


/■|  to  Sharp  Point 

isiip^^z:j:ii^siip   F 

'Flat  Slightly 
Too!  'b-\&e\  (Harden  and  Ground) 


^ — J/--- 


->l    \<  05185'   k''> 


— <3- 


-'*>':!? 


if 

I  I 
I  I 

I  I 


■4Ji  , 


^p -A 


11 

c 

^ 

o 

'0) 

o 

'O 

$< 

zzis:. 

o 

'0 

B 

8 

^ 

o 

o 

Cold-Rolled  S+eel 


D 


I 


jur. 


?.i 


Cold- Rolled  S+eel 


Machine  S+eel 
F 
FIG,    563.       HOLDER    FOR    NEEDLES    DURING    THE   STAKING  OR  RIVETING   OPERATION 


over  the  point  of  the  needle,  pick  it  up  and  set  the  base  down  in  the  recess 
in  the  cap  without  difficulty.  The  raised  portion  is  then  spun  down  with 
a  rotary  riveter,  as  will  be  shown  later. 

In  handling  the  smaller  needles,  however,  a  very  neat  loading  device 
has  been  made  and  is  illustrated  in  Fig.  563.  This  consists  primarily 
of  the  plate  A^  a  piece  of  J^-in.  steel,  %-in.  wide  and  containing  30  holes 
for  holding  needles,  in  addition  to  the  two  larger  holes  at  the  end.     These 


656 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 


[Sec.  IV 


holes  are  made  with  a  0.067-in.  drill-and-ream  taper  from  one  side,  as 
shown.  They  are  spaced  0.375  in.  apart  to  conform  to  the  holder  shown 
in  B,  which  acts  as  a  magazine  for  the  percussion-needle  plugs. 

This  magazine  consists  of  a  steel  bar  %-m.  wide  by  J'^-in.  thick, 
drilled  and  countersunk  as  shown  in  B,  to  receive  the  hardened  drill-rod 
plugs  shown  at  C,  These  blocks  are  knurled  or  roughened  at  one  end  in 
order  to  act  as  an  anvil  against  the  pressure  of  the  revolving  riveter 
and  to  prevent  the  plug  from  turning  under  its  action.  The  percussion- 
needle  plugs  are  easily  slipped  into  the  pockets  left  in  the  strip  B  and  the 
plate  A  placed  over  them  so  that  the  holes  coincide.  This  is  readily 
located  by  means  of  a  pin  D  at  each  end  of  the  strip.  The  needles  are 
then  placed  with  the  large  end  in  the  tapered  holes,  from  which  they 
immediately  drop  into  the  holes  in  the  percussion-needle  plugs.     The 


^-20,  Heacfle'ss  Sefscrew,-§Longf 
Tapi-EO       r^ 


Knur! 


\<—/.470''-A 
CR!b.(Pack  Harden  and  Ground) 


8  i^Kj^r, 


©ffifll  fM\ 


Cold-Rolled  S+eel 
Cftfck  Harden 
and  Ground) 


Q2075j 


Q0/4SCenhrs 


Q05  Undercut  if  desired 


\^Headless  Szhcreyf  Spline 

plug  for ii"Mov€l[Approx) 

Tool  S+eeK/TbA^jfey?; 

FIG.  564.   GAGES  FOR  PERCUSSION  NEEDLES 

Gages  for  length  of  needle  in  cap.     Distance  of  needle  point  from  recess  in  percussion  pellet.     Protrusion 
of  centrifugal  bolt  in  graze-pellet  hole,  when  assembled 


plate  A  is  then  removed,  the  strip  B  placed  in  the  holder  E  and  the  rivet- 
ing or  staking  begins. 

This  holder  E  is  fastened  to  the  table  of  Grant  rotary  riveters  and  the 
holder  B  placed  so  that  the  first  plug  comes  under  the  riveting  spindle. 
Here  it  is  indexed  by  the  cone-pointed  plug  F  fitting  in  the  small  V- 
notches  shown  on  A,  and  the  spindle  of  the  riveter  is  brought  down  to 
the  work.  This  spins  the  raised  portion  firmly  around  the  base  of  the 
needle,  and  the  work  sHde  is  indexed  from  one  plug  to  the  other  very 
rapidly.  When  all  the  plugs  held  in  the  slide  are  riveted  it  is  an  easy 
matter  to  simply  dump  them  into  a  box  and  insert  another  sHde  which 
has  been  properly  loaded  by  a  girl  working  at  the  bench.  This  loading 
is  essentially  a  bench  operation  and  can  be  done  rapidly. 

The  caps  are  riveted  in  the  same  way,  except  that  each  cap  is  la.rge 


Chap.  I] 


THE  DETONATOR  FUSE 


657 


enough  to  be  handled  individually,  and  there  is  no  trouble  whatever  in 
staking  them  in  one  at  a  time. 

The  gage  for  testing  the  height  of  the  needle  in  the  cap  is  shown  in 
Fig.  564.  It  consists  of  a  cylinder  A  and  the  spool  B,  which  j&ts  inside 
the  cylinder  and  is  held  in  position  by  a  setscrew  at  C  going  down  in 
between  the  heads  of  the  spool.  This  does  not  hold  the  spool  in  one 
position  but  allows  it  to  move  back  and  forth,  making  it  a  type  of  ''feel " 


DrillNoSB 


^•=F^^i ; 


Drill -fbr 
h"Drill 


I  r 


^^^^^\^^ _^rjJrle^ 


X 


X=CoId-Rolled  ^\&&\(Pack Harc/en)  , 
Y=^''Diam.  Drill  Rod  {Qrincl  fo  Size,  Mlong) 
A 


After  driving  pins, 
grind h0.5d8"    ^.^"->^ 

-'y  Drill  for 


=Cpld-Rolled  'h\&^\(Pack Hardenjj 
=  j^  Diam.Drill  Rod  (Orlndfo  Size-^long) 


Section 
M-N 


iDrill, 
iDeep 


0.05>^\<-^'--^- 

X=  Cold-Rolled  ^\ee.\(Pack Harden) „ 
Y=^''Diam.  Drill  Rod  (Orind  fo  Size  §  LOngD 


FIG.    565.       PIN  WRENCHES   FOR  ASSEMBLING 

A — Wrench  for  percussion-needle  plug.     B— Wrench  for  detonator  plug.     C — Wrench 

for  screwing  in  cap 


gage.  The  cap  is  inserted  in  the  end  of  the  gage  as  shown,  and  the  posi- 
tion of  the  upper  end  of  the  spool  with  relation  to  the  half-round  groove 
C  indicates  the  proper  position  of  the  needle. 

The  gage.  Fig.  564,  shows  the  distance  of  the  needle  point  from  the 
recess  in  the  percussion-plug  pellet.  Another  interesting  gage  is  the 
one  for  determining  whether  the  centrifugal  bolt  projects  the  proper 
distance  over  the  end  of  the  graze  pellet.     This  is  also  shown  in  Fig. 

42 


658 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 


[Sec.  IV 


564.  The  body  fits  the  upper  end  of  the  graze-pellet  hole  and  the  lower 
end  is  cut  to  form  a  cam,  the  eccentricity  of  which  represents  the  high 
and  low  limits.  The  90-deg.  sector  cut  from  the  flange  gives  the  allow- 
able variation  in  the  setting  of  the  bolt. 

Three  of  the  wrenches  used  in  assembling  the  fuses  are  shown  in 
Fig.  565  at  A,  B  and  C.  These  are  pin  wrenches  made  to  fit  the  parts 
named.  They  are  made  from  cold-rolled  steel  and  have  pins  of  drill 
rod  inserted  in  the  end  to  fit  the  holes  in  the  pieces  to  be  screwed  into 
place.  The  handles  are  knurled,  but  are  flattened  on  one  side  so  as  to 
be  stamped  with  their  proper  names  for  easy  identification. 

Lacquering. — After  assembling  the  fuse  heads  are  placed  in  a  reel 
oven  built  by  the  Meek  Oven  Co.,  Newburyport,  Mass.  This  oven  has 
large  shelves,  which  hang  horizontally,  while  the  whole  reel  on  which 
they  are  supported  revolves  in  the  heated  chamber,  thus  heating  the 
fuse  so  as  to  take  the  lacquer.  The  specifications  require  the  fuses  to 
be  heated  sufficiently  to  drive  off  any  excess  of  methylated  spirit,  reduc- 
ing the  residual  solvent  to  a  minimum.  It  must  be  applied  to  the  out- 
side of  the  fuse  and  the  interior  of  the  adapter. 


FIG.   566.      SHIELD  FOR  SPRAYING  DANGER  SPOT 


The  lacquer  specified  is  made  as  follows:  Shellac,  1  lb.;  turmeric, 
8  oz.;  methylated  spirits,  8  lb. 

The  lacquer  must  be  free  from  metallic  impurity  in  any  form,  the 
following  alone  being  permitted: 

A  percentage  of  manganese  not  exceeding  0.5  per  cent. ;  a  percentage 
of  lead  calculated  as  Pb  taken  from  scrapings  not  to  exceed  0.005;  a 
percentage  of  copper  not  exceeding  0.1. 

The  lacquering  is  done  by  machines  of  the  rotary  table  type,  which  are 
built  especially  for  this  work.  The  adapter  of  each  fuse  is  set  into  one 
of  the  16  sockets  located  in  the  outer  ring.  The  whole  table  revolves 
and  a  pinion  on  the  lower  end  of  each  holder,  meshing  into  a  large  ring 
gear  beneath,  also  turns  each  socket  with  its  finished  fuse  while  it  is 
passing  by  the  operator  who  handles  the  spraying  nozzle.  The  machine 
is  driven  by  a  small  electric  motor.  The  compressed  air  comes  from  the 
regular  air  system  of  the  shop  and  the  lacquer  is  suspended  in  the  bucket 
shown.     This  machine  enables  the  spraying  to  be  done  very  rapidly  and 


Chap.  I] 


THE  DETONATOR  FUSE 


659 


uniformly,  the  adapters  being  previously  coated  by  a  dipping  process. 
A  spraying  shield  is  shown  in  Fig.  566. 

Painting  the  "Red  Spot"  and  Packing. — An  additional  operation  is 
the  painting  of  a  rectangular  red  spot  on  the  fuse  body  just  above  the 
percussion  detonator  plug.  This  is  to  warn  the  artilleryman  who  puts 
the  fuse  head  into  the  shell  not  to  have  the  grub  or  setscrew  come  at 
this  point  owing  to  danger  of  exploding  shells. 

This  red  spot  is  sprayed  on  with  the  air  brush,  the  fuse  being  dropped 
in  the  holder  shown  in  Fig.  566  with  the  detonator  plug  at  front.  The 
opening  through  the  holder  or  shield,  allows  the  paint  to  cover  the  de- 


■■-/ef 

Inside 


fleighf  of  Box  fmpft/  %Lh 

might  of  Box  and  Carfons  'IB^Lb. 

Weighf  of  Box  Carfons  and  Fuses  "ApproxJOOltk 


"i" 


Plan  wi+h  Portion  of  Cover 
cu+away  to  show  Qar+ons 
FIG.  567. 


1< 


V 


•^ 

^ 


Side  View  wi+h  Fbr+ion  of  Side 
CU+  away  to  show  Car+ons 

PACKING  BOX  FOR  FUSES 


sired  space  only,  the  work  being  done  very  rapidly  and  satisfactorily 
in  this  way. 

The  fuse  heads  are  packed  in  boxes  holding  two  layers  of  20  each, 
or  40  in  all.  Each  fuse  is  held  in  a  carton  or  square  cardboard  box, 
the  dimensions  being  2]/2  in.  by  23-^  in.  by  4%  in.  high.  The  box  is 
shown  in  Fig.  567.  Each  box  must  be  securely  fastened  with  nails  and 
bound  at  each  end  by  two  iron  straps  not  less  than  J^  in.  wide  and  put 
on  to  lie  flat.  The  empty  box  weighs  9J4  Ih.  The  cartons  add  3J^^  lb. 
to  this,  while  the  total  weight  of  a  filled  box  is  about  100  lb. 


CHAPTER  II 

MAKING  THE  BRITISH  TIME  FUSE  MARK  80-44i— CAPS  AND 

FUSE  PLUGS  FOR  TIME  FUSE^— MAKING  THE  SMALL 

PARTS  OF  THE  BRITISH  TIME  FUSE^ 

The  mission  of  the  time  fuse  is  to  explode  the  charge  in  the  projectile, 
either  shrapnel  or  high-explosive  shell,  at  a  predetermined  time  after 
leaving  the  gun,  or  to  explode  on  impact  either  before  or  after  the  time 
set.  It  is  in  reality  a  combined  time-and-detonating  fuse.  The  princi- 
pal parts  are  shown  in  Fig.  568. 

The  time  element  is  governed  by  the  burning  of  a  train  of  standard 
fine-grained  pistol  powder,  the  length  of  the  train  being  varied  by  turn- 
ing the  time  ring.  The  detonator  works  practically  the  same  as  in  the 
Mark-100  fuse  already  described.  The  safety  element  of  the  time  por- 
tion consists  in  turning  the  rings  so  as  to  block  the  passage  in  the  powder 
train.  Safety  against  explosion  by  shock  is  obtained  by  means  of  the 
stirrup  springs  J  and  S.     The  operation  is  as  follows: 

The  rapid  acceleration  of  the  projectile  as  it  is  fired  from  the  gun 
literally  shoots  it  away  from  the  time  pellet  F,  the  inertia  forcing  up  the 
side  ears  of  the  spring  stirrup  J,  even  though  it  is  made  of  hard-rolled 
sheet  brass.  The  inertia  of  the  pellet  forces  the  detonator  K  against 
the  steel  needle  P  and  explodes  it  in  the  chamber  shown.  The  fire  then 
shoots  through  A'  and  ignites  the  mealed  powder  in  B',  which  communi- 
cates with  the  powder  train  in  the  corrugations  C  through  the  hollow 
stick  of  black  powder  P'  to  D'  and  then  to  the  second  train  E',  finally 
going  through  the  two  powder  tubes  P'  to  F'  and  G\  As  shown,  these 
passages  are  directly  connected,  but  in  use  the  fire  would  have  to  burn 
part  way  around  the  powder  train  before  it  reached  the  opening  through 
the  ring  to  the  next  train  and  to  the  bottom  charge.  Should  this  fail, 
or  should  it  strike  some  object  in  its  flight,  the  detonator  end  becomes 
active.  The  sudden  checking  of  the  speed  of  the  shell  throws  the  deto- 
nator pellet  H  forward  and  forces  the  lower  detonator  K  against  the 
bottom  needle,  exploding  the  lower  charge  and  sending  the  fire  direct 
through  the  detonator  plug  /  to  the  powder  G'  and  the  shell  behind  it. 
The  specifications  resemble  those  of  the  detonator,  some  of  the  features 
being  almost  identical.  Several  parts  of  the  British  time  fuse — including 
the  body,  cap,  base  plate  and  some  of  the  minor  interior  parts — are  made 
of  aluminum.     The   specifications   call  for   an   aluminum   alloy  which 

1  Fred  H.  Colvin,  Associate  Editor,  American  Machinist, 

660 


Chap.  II] 


MAKING  THE  BRITISH  TIME  MARK  80-44 


661 


662  FUSES  AND  PRIMERS  [Sec.  IV 

shall  be  free  from  cracks  and  flaws,  with  a  specific  gravity  not 
exceeding  3.5,  capable  of  being  satisfactorily  machined  and  free  from  any 
ingredient  which  would  be  detrimental  to  the  keeping  qualities  of  the 
metal.  The  castings  for  the  bodies  are  to  be  placed  in  a  die  and 
subjected  to  a  total  pressure  of  400  tons  in  order  to  insure  proper 
density. 

The  ring  and  pin  on  the  flange  of  the  body  are  to  be  made  of  brass. 
The  composition  rings  are  to  be  made  of  the  metal  known  as  Class  C, 
although  Class  B  may  be  used  if  preferred  by  the  contract.  The  ferrule 
is  to  be  made  of  an  alloy  containing  70  parts  copper  and  30  parts  zinc, 
while  the  stirrup  springs,  which  hold  the  time  and  percussion  pellets, 
are  of  hard-rolled  brass.  The  spiral  spring  is  of  thin  steel  wire.  The 
time  and  percussion  pellets  and  the  setting  pin  are  of  Class  A  metal. 
The  classification  of  metals,  as  well  as  their  physical  properties,  is  given 
in  Table  3.  The  needle  plug  and  the  holder  for  the  percussion  device 
are  to  be  made  of  steel  hardened  and  tempered;  or  as  an  alternative,  the 
needle  plugs  may  be  made  of  a  softer  steel  and  blued.  The  cover  was 
originally  specified  to  be  of  brass  of  the  best  quality  and  capable  of  being 
bent  double  under  the  hammer  and  straightened  without  a  sign  of 
fracture.  In  some  instances,  however,  these  covers  are  now  being  re- 
placed with  covers  made  of  sheet  lead  and  tinned  on  each  side. 

Further  specifications,  including  the  detonating  compositions,  var- 
nishes and  cements,  follow: 

SUMMARY  OF  SPECIFICATIONS 

The  detonators  are  to  be  made  of  sheet  copper,  having  a  central  hole  covered  by 
a  copper  disk,  and  are  to  be  charged  with  the  quantity  of  composition  shown  below. 
A  pellet  of  pressed  powder  weighing  1.78  grain  is  to  be  placed  on  top  of  the  composi- 
tion and  the  detonator  closed  by  means  of  a  copper  disk.  In  the  time  detonator  a 
cardboard  disk  is  to  be  pressed  over  the  copper  disk.  The  detonators  are  inserted  in 
the  pellets  and  retained  in  position  by  the  screw  plugs,  these  being  secured  by  three 
indents,  the  plug  for  the  percussion  pellet  having  a  disk  of  paper  placed  over  the  axial 
perforation  before  being  screwed  home.  The  time  detonator  is  to  be  charged  with 
1.28  grain  of  the  following  composition: 

Table  1.     Time-Detonating  Compound 

Chlorate  of  potash 52.5  parts  by  weight 

Sulphide  of  antimony 36.5  parts  by  weight 

Fulminate  of  mercury 11.0  parts  by  weight 

The  composition  is  to  be  put  in  dry  and  pressed  with  a  pressure  of  600  lb.  The 
percussion  detonator  is  to  be  charged  with  1.39  grain  of  the  following  composition: 

Table  2.     Percussion-Detonating  Compound 

Chlorate  of  potash 45  parts  by  weight 

Sulphide  of  antimony 23  parts  by  weight 

Fulminate  of  mercury 32  parts  by  weight 


Chap.  II]  MAKING  THE  BRITISH  TIME  MARK  80-44  663 

The  composition  is  to  be  put  in  dry  and  undergo  a  pressure  of  600  lb.  As  an 
alternative,  a  time  detonator  containing  0.75  grain  of  the  composition  given  above 
for  this  detonator  and  a  pellet  of  pressed  powder  weighing  0.87  grain  may  be  used,  in 
which  case  the  cardboard  disk  over  the  copper  disk  and  the  sectors  of  vegetable  paper 
over  the  lighting  points  of  the  rings  should  be  omitted.  The  lighting  hole  in  the  top 
ring  should  have  a  pellet  of  pressed  powder  inserted  instead  of  mealed  powder. 

Table  3.     Physical  Requirements  op  Metal  . 

Percentage  of  Elongation  in  a 
Test  Piece  2   In.  Long  and 
0.564    In.    in    Diameter    or 
Such  Test  Piece  as  Can  Be 
_,         .^     n,  t  Furnished,     Provided     that 

■    Tenacity,  Tons  of  4 

2,240  Lb.  per  Sq.  In.  Length  =  -—== 

Metals  Yield  Breaking  VArea 

Alummum  alloy 7 .  75  12  7 

Delta  metal 20  30  20 

Hard-rolled  brass 6  12  10     - 

Class  A  metal 20  30  20 

Class  B  metal 12  20  30 

Class  C  metal 6  12  10 

The  stirrup  springs  are  to  be  made  of  hard-rolled  sheet  brass.  All  the  stirrup 
springs  will  be  subject  to  the  following  minimum  test:  The  time-detonator  pellet 
spring  will  be  required  to  stand  a  pressure  of  100  lb.  and  the  percussion-detonator 
pellet  spring  a  pressure  of  60  lb.  The  percussion-detonator  spring  is  to  be  gaged, 
after  having  been  subjected  to  a  load  of  60  lb.  in  a  steel  counterpart  of  the  fuse  pellet 
and  ferrule  to  mean  dimensions,  and  the  time-detonator  pellet  spring  after  having 
been  subjected  to  a  load  of  100  lb. 

The  cloth  washers  are  to  be  made  from  waterproofed  drab  woolen  material,  weigh- 
ing 13^  oz.  per  sq.  yd.  Holes  are  to  be  cut  in  the  washers  so  as  to  expose  the  powder 
pellets  in  the  body  and  ring,  also  a  hole  to  clear  the  brass  pin  in  the  body. 

The  interior  of  the  fuse,  aluminum  cap  and  washer  and  inside  face  of  base  plug 
are  to  be  coated  with  shellac  varnish  consisting  of: 

Table    4.     Interior    Fuse    Varnish 

Shellac,  finest  orange 5  lb. 

Spirit,  methylated 8  lb. 

and  stoved  at  a  temperature  of  170  deg.  F.  for  not  less  than  3  hr.     Spirit  lost  by 
evaporation  is  to  be  replaced  as  required. 

After  the  holder  for  percussion  arrangement  has  been  screwed  into  the  body, 
the  holder  and  inside  of  cap  are  to  be  coated  with  shellac  varnish.  The  exterior  of 
the  time  rings  and  brass  ring  on  body,  the  time  pellet  and  stirrup,  exterior  of  ferrule 
for  percussion  pellet,  interior  of  composition  grooves  and  flash  hole  in  body  are  to  be 
lacquered  with  a  lacquer  consisting  of: 

Table    5.    Lacquer    for   Fuses 

Shellac 1  lb.  ' 

Turmeric 8  oz. 

Spirit,  methylated 8  lb. 

The  screw  threads  must,  unless  otherwise  stated,  be  of  the  British  Standard 
Whit  worth  form,  cut  full. 

Perforated  pellets  of  pressed  powder  are  to  be  inserted  in  the  fire-escape  holes  of 


664  FUSES  AND  PRIMERS  [Sec.  IV 

the  top  and  bottom  composition  rings  and  the  holes  closed  by  brass  disks.  A  pellet 
is  also  to  be  inserted  in  the  hole  on  top  of  the  bottom  composition  ring  and  in  the  flash 
holes  of  the  body.  The  lighting  hole  in  the  top  ring  is  to  be  filled  with  loose  mealed 
powder  covered  by  a  patch  of  silk  or  tycoon  paper.  A  cloth  washer  is  to  be  secured 
on  the  face  of  the  body  and  on  the  top  of  the  bottom  ring  with  shellac  varnish  con- 
taining a  small  quantity  of  Venice  turpentine.  The  grooves  on  the  under  side  of 
the  composition  rings  are  to  be  charged  with  the  composition  pressed  into  them  to 
give  the  required  time  of  burning.  The  under  faces  of  the  composition  rings  are  then 
coated  with  the  varnish  previously  referred  to,  and  are  to  be  covered  with  vegetable 
paper  washers  secured  with  shellac  varnish  consisting  of  best  orange  shellac  dissolved 
in  methylated  spirit  containing  a  small  quantity  of  Venice  turpentine,  vegetable  paper 
tablets  being  previously  placed  over  the  lighting  points. 

In  assembling,  the  threads,  the  percussion-arrangement  holder  and  base  plug  are 
to  be  coated  with  Pettman  cement  before  being  screwed  into  the  body.  The  cap  is 
to  be  screwed  down  so  that  a  turning  moment  of  144  X 12  in.-oz.  will  just  turn  the  ring, 
the  cap  being  secured  by  means  of  the  setscrew. 

The  bench  or  table  upon  which  the  tensioning  apparatus  is  fixed  is  to  be  jarred 
by  tapping  with  a  mallet  to  assist  the  turning  of  the  ring.  The  fuse  cover  is  to  be 
attached  to  the  fuse  in  the  following  manner:  Press  the  fuse  cover  into  position 
and  solder  it  to  the  brass  ring  of  the  fuse,  using  pure  rosin  as  a  flux,  the  surplus  solder 
being  removed.  The  fuse  is  set  at  safety  before  the  cover  is  soldered  on.  The  fuse 
with  cover  attached  is  then  to  be  vacuum-tested  to  insure  its  air-tightness.  After 
testing,  the  base  plug  is  to  be  screwed  into  the  body  and  the  magazine  filled  with  fine 
grain  powder  through  the  filling  hole.  The  hole  is  to  be  closed  with  the  screwed  plug, 
the  threads  of  the  latter  being  previously  coated  with  Pettman  cement.  The  bottom 
of  the  fuse  is  to  be  coated  with  shellac  varnish,  A  leather  washer  soaked  in  melted 
mineral  jelly  is  to  be  placed  under  the  flange  inside  the  brass  ring.  The  Pettman 
cement  is  to  consist  of: 

Table  6.     Pettman  Cement 

Gum,  shellac 7  lb.    8  oz. 

Spirit,  methylated 8  lb. 

Tar,  Stockholm 5  lb. 

Venetian  red 20  lb.  12  oz. 

The  spaces  between  the  cap,  time  rings  and  body  and  setscrew  recess  in  top  are 
to  be  filled  with  waterproofing  composition  consisting  of: 

Table  7.     Waterproof  Coating 

Beeswax 2  parts  by  weight 

Mineral  jelly 1  part  by  weight 

French  chalk 2>^  parts  by  weight 

The  escape-hole  disks  in  the  time  rings  are  also  to  be  covered  with  the  above 
composition.  The  flash  hole  in  the  center  of  the  base  plug  is  to  be  coated  with  a  var- 
nish consisting  of: 

Table  8.     Flash-Hole  Varnish 

Amyl  acetate 91  parts  by  weight 

Nitrocellulose  (soluble  in  ether  alcohol) 5  parts  by  weight 

Castor  oil 4  parts  by  weight 

The  cap  is  to  be  made  of  brass,  formed  to  shape,  with  a  projection.  The  strip  is 
to  be  made  of  sheet  brass,  annealed  and  tinned  all  over.     A  ring  made  of  brass  wire, 


Chap.  11]  MAKING  THE  BRITISH  TIME  MARK  80-44  665 

with  brazed  joint,  is  to  be  secured  at  one  end  of  the  strip  by  turning  over  the  latter 
and  securing  with  solder.  The  strip,  with  ring  attached,  is  to  be  soldered  to  the  cap 
and  the  brass  ring  is  to  be  held  in  position  by  means  of  a  brass  strip  also  soldered  to 
the  cap.  In  addition  to  the  tests  previously  provided  for,  a  percentage  of  the  covers 
may  be  selected  during  manufacture  and  tested  in  the  following  manner : 

The  cover  will  be  securely  held  in  a  press  with  the  open  end  against  an  India 
rubber  pad  and  tested  for  airtightness  either  by  immersing  the  whole  apparatus  in 
water  at  100  deg.  F.  or  by  means  of  a  vacuum  process.  Any  escape  of  air  will  entail 
rejection.     The  fuse  and  cover  are  to  be  stamped  and  stenciled. 

The  fuses  are  to  be  delivered  into  bond  in  lots  of  2,000,  with  covers  complete, 
to  await  the  results  of  proof.  An  additional  40  is  to  be  supplied  free  for  proof  with 
each  2,000  or  any  less  number  supplied;  in  the  event  of  further  proof  being  required 
the  fuses  will  be  taken  from  the  lot  supplied.  If  the  results  of  proof  are  satisfactory 
the  fuses  will  then  be  forwarded  as  described  for  final  examination  and  testing. 

The  fuses  selected  for  proof  will  be  tested  as  follows :  Ten  will  have  the  percussion 
arrangement  removed  and  will  be  fired  in  an  electrical  testing  machine  to  determine  the 
mean  time  of  burning  at  rest.  The  mean  time  of  burning,  set  full,  when  corrected 
for  barometer  will  be  22  sec.  +0.2  sec.  The  constant  to  be  used  when  correcting 
for  barometer  is  0.023  of  the  mean  time  of  burning.  For  every  inch  the  barometer 
reads  above  or  below  30  in.  it  is  +  when  above  and  —  when  below.  If  the  lot  fails 
to  pass  this  test  a  further  proof  will  be  taken  while  spinning  in  a  lathe  at  2,500  r.p.m. 
The  fuse  must  burn  within  the  limits  specified  above,  otherwise  the  lot  will  be  rejected. 
Should  the  detonator  fail  to  ignite  time  ring  a  second  proof  will  be  taken;  should  a 
similar  failure  occur  at  second  proof,  or  should  there  be  more  than  one  such  failure  at 
first  proof,  the  lot  will  be  rejected.  Twenty  fuses  will  be  fired  at  the  same  elevation 
in  any  of  the  following  guns,  with  full  charges. 

The  mean  difference  from  the  mean  time  of  burning  of  the  20  fuses  is  not  to 

exceed : 

,     ,  o     J  r  If  set  full .     0 .  14  sec. 

In  18-pdr.  gun  {  tj.     .  .^  ah 

^  \  If  set  16 0.11  sec. 

,    , „     ,  r  If  set  full 0. 20  sec. 

In  13-pdr.  gun  {  t.     .  -.a  n  i  o 

^  I  If  set  14 0 .  13  sec. 


The  difference  between  the  longest  and  shortest  fuse  is  not  to  exceed: 
In  18-pdr.  gun 


In  13-pdr.  gun 


If  set  full 0.75  sec. 

Omitting  one  fuse 0 .  60  sec. 

If  set  16 0 .  60  sec. 

Omitting  one  fuse 0 .  50  sec. 

If  set  full 0 .  90  sec. 

Omitting  one  fuse 0.70  sec. 

If  set  14 0.70  sec. 

Omitting  one  fuse 0 .  50  sec. 


If  there  is  one  blind  fuse,  a  second  proof  will  be  taken.  If  there  is  a  blind  at  second 
proof  or  more  than  one  such  failure  at  first  proof  the  lot  will  be  rejected. 

The  Sequence  of  Operations. — Details  of  the  fuse  body  are  shown 
in  Fig.  569  and  the  sequence  of  operations  is  illustrated  in  Figs.  570-572. 
These  may  be  listed  as  follows: 

1.  Rough-turn  outside  of  stem  to  fit  collet. 

2.  Bore,  recess  and  tap  inside  and  turn  outside  for  the  two  threads. 

3.  Hand-tap  inside  threads. 


666 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 


[Sec.  IV 


4.  Mill  thread  on  outside  of  large  end. 

5.  Finish  outside  of  stem,  bore  and  counterbore  small  end  and  serrate  upper  side 
of  platform. 

6.  Hand-ream  inside  for  upper  and  lower  shoulders. 

7.  Mill  thread  on  end  of  stem. 

8.  Mill  fine  thread  for  graduated  ring  on  large  end. 

9.  Rough-turn  outer  edge  of  graduated  ring  casting  to  allow  easy  chucking. 

10.  Bore  and  tap  graduated  ring. 

11.  Screw  ring  on  body. 

12.  Drill  ring  and  body  for  screwed  plug. 

13.  Tap  ring  and  body  for  screwed  plug. 


All  Threads  RighfHcin'c/,Whii»orfh 


]<0.71  iQOOS^ 


Grooving 

^-'■^'W^"^  om'Pikh 

:%  ^UO.OlB'Deep 


Q748  '„'  \         k-  -  -l579+a003-  -  -  --^-U  THols. 
WOS    k-— PORS'-aOOP- >J 


2.085" 
Sec+ton  X-Y 


Line  0.01^ 
Deep,  60° 
Angle 


^  No.ofLo: 


FIG.    569.       DETAILS   OF  TIME-FUSE  BODY 


j;  Coniraci-ors 
IniiiCds  6r 
Recognized 
Trade-Mark 


pa-fe  of 
Filling 


14.  Turn  outside  of  graduated  ring. 

15.  Face  under  side  of  graduated  ring. 

16.  Mill  key  slot  in  graduated  ring. 

17.  Mill  recess  for  flash  hole. 

18.  Drill  powder  hole  in  platform. 

19.  Drill  magazine  hole. 

20.  Drill  flash  hole. 

21.  Roll  graduations  in  ring. 

22.  Turn  neck  on  small  end. 

23.  Stamp  base  line  on  bottom  of  body. 


Chap.  II] 


MAKING  THE  BRITISH  TIME  MARK  80-44 


667 


The  bodies  are  machined  for  the  most  part  on  hand  turret  machines 
of  various  makes.  The  rough-turning  of  the  stem  in  operation  1  makes 
it  easy  to  hold  the  bodies  in  spring  collets  and  has  been  found  more  satis- 


factory than  gripping  in  an  ordinary  chuck.     This  is  done  at  the  rate  of 
50  per  hr. 

The  cutting  speed  for  turning  tools  on  the  body  is  about  142  ft.  per 


668 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 


[Sec.  IV 


min.,  while  a  tapping  speed  of  55  ft.  per  min.  is  found  very  satisfactory. 
A  mixture  of  kerosene  and  lard  oil  is  used  as  a  cutting  lubricant. 

The  tools  used  in  operation  2  are  shown  in  Fig.  573.     This  shows  the 
main  dimensions  of  the  various  tools,  and  in  some  cases,  notably  in  /, 


the  work  they  perform.     It  will  be  noted  in  M  that  the  circular  forming 
cutter  is  provided  with  radial  slots.     This  has  been  done  to  prevent  the 


Chap.  II] 


MAKING  THE  BRITISH  TIME  MARK  80-44 


cutter  warping  out  of  shape  and  has  been  adopted  in  nearly  all  circular 
cutters. 

For  hand-tapping  the  bodies  are  held  in  special  wooden  vise  jaws, 


these  being  shown  in  Fig.  574.     These  hold  the  body  firmly  for  tapping 
and  do  not  crush  or  mar  the  stem. 

In  the  fourth  operation  the  body  is  held  in  the  special  milling  fixture 


670 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 


[Sec.  IV 


K  /'zr? -•>| 


^5S  \ 


Chap.  II] 


MAKING  THE  BRITISH  TIME  MARK  80-44 


671 


<^^80^ 

f^ 

^X- 

" 

H  U    1 

i 

K 

S8£-l 

d 

<^8V> 

JL\ 

.. 

^A 

k^ 

CO 
<3 

i 

1 

u.# 


■^-./••->^-;./- 


fljg'Q-H 


-a; 

o  ^ 


\f^988d>\ 


M[<-3  ■-'->] 


\<-;- 

if-H 

—  1 

-  I 

1  .. 

it:    -T-r--^-- 


i  5i 


BK- 


f^-- 


1; 

-/  -H 


ii 


K    I 


ca  o 


02 


a  4) 


A   (U 
CO 

to  :=;^ 
5^ 


W 


^    u 
o 

2    a 


672 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 


[Sec.  IV 


similar  to  the  one  shown  in  Fig.  575,  and  the  thread  is  milled  on  the  large 
end,^pf  the  body.  This  is  done  in  a  simple  fixture  in  which  the  body  is 
held  inside  of  a  screw  having  the  same  lead  as  the  thread  to  be  niilled. 


,.--To  Cuf  14  Threads  per  Inch,  RIghi- Hand,  Whifworfh-, 


m^^ 


CuflSJeefh 

TOOL  STEEL  (Harden) 
14  Threads  per  Inch,  RighiHand,  YJHIworfh 


Hoo 


h t^^ J# 


FIG.  575. 


COLD-ROLLED  STEEL 

THREAD-MILLING   CUTTERS   FOR   MILLING   THREADS   ON   ENDS    OF  TIME-FUSE 
BODY    AND    LIMIT    GAGES    USED    FOR    OPERATION    7 


The  milling  cutter  has  no  lead,  but  is  simply  a  cutter,  set  at  the  proper 
angle  and  having  enough  teeth  to  cover  the  entire  length  of  the  thread. 
In  this  way  one  revolution  of  the  body  in  the  hand  fixture  shown  mills 


H.0.498'\^r->\ 


14  Threads  per  Inch,  Righf  Hand, 
YihU-worih 


FIG.  576.   GAGES  FOR  OPERATION  NO.  4.   PRODUCTION,  30  PER  HOUR 

A,  main  thread  on  nose,  low  limit;  B,  combination  high  diameter,  cone,  length  of  thread  and  shape 

of  recess  under  platform 

the  thread  on  the  entire  circumference.  A  stop  for  the  cross-shde 
allows  the  work  to  be  fed  in  the  proper  depth,  so  that  the  right  diameter 
is  easily  secured.     The  gages  are  shown  in  Fig.  576. 


Chap.  II] 


MAKING!  THE  BRITISH  TIME  MARK  80-44 


673 


For  the  fifth  operation  the  threaded  end  of  the  body  is  held  in  the 
chuck  shown  in  Fig.  577.  When  screwing  the  body  in  place  the  central 
stop  or  pusher  plug  is  moved  to  the  position  shown  and  forms  the  stop  for 
the  body.  As  soon  as  it  is  desired  to  remove  the  body  the  plug  is  with- 
drawn slightly,  so  that  the  body  may  be  easily  unscrewed  from  the  chuck. 

While  in  this  position  the  outside  of  the  stem  is  turned  to  the  proper 
size  for  the  rings  and  the  threaded  portion  in  front.     The  upper  surface 


K ^F - >J 

MACme  srrfi  (Case  Harden) 

A 

MACHINE  STEEL  (Case  Harden) 
FIG.    577.       CHUCK    FOR    OPERATION   NO.    5.       PRODUCTION,    15    PER    HR. 

of  the  platform  is  also  serrated  by  means  of  the  flat  forming  tool  shown 
in  Fig.  578. 

One  of  the  essential  features  is  the  shoulder  distance  between  the 
upper  and  lower  recesses,  these  surfaces  being  hand-reamed  in  the  sixth 
operation  by  the  tool  shown  in  Fig.  579. 


, Enlarged  View  of  (x) 

FIG.  578. 


Cu+l-ing  Edge 


FLAT   SERRATING    TOOL    FOR    OPERATION   NO.    5 


The  next  operation  is  milling  the  thread  on  the  end  of  the  stem,  this 
being  done  on  the  fixture  shown  in  Fig.  575.  This  also  shows  the  thread 
gages  for  the  stem. 

Details  of  the  graduated  ring  are  shown  in  Fig.  580  while  the  casting 
and  the  rough-turned  ring  appear  in  Fig.  581.  The  ring  is  finished  after 
being  screwed  on  the  body.  The  tools  for  making  the  ring  are  illustrated 
in  Fig.  582.  Screwing  the  ring  in  place  forms  the  eleventh  operation, 
the  ring  and  body  being  considered  as  one  piece. 

43 


674 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 


[Sec.  IV 


r 


TOOL  STEEL 
rap,i-l5,USSfH.^ 


16  ^CCcrse  Harden) 
Tap,i-J3,US.Srd 


MACHINE  STEEL 


^  /?I>j     (Ccfse  Harden) 


(CaseHarden)"^^  '^"        \<iA^OOLiSTEEL 


i 


,  l^sC    10  TEETH 

¥ ^i'A 

TOOL  STEEL  (Harden) 


Tee+h  Enlarged 


B 


^^y^'^,  MACHINE  STEEL 
,  5  r2  igi    (Case  Harden) 


U-/-* -H 


V--Z"- ■>!  ^kV 


TOOL  STEELfHarden) 


„   Tap,  k- 20, 


^6  Teef-h, 


"M 2f A<,rif-^A 


MACHINE  STEEL 


U    _Jf 


5#- ?>l 

T(?OZ.  STEEL(Harden) 


\0.W^ 


MACHINE  STEEL 


FIG.    579.      FACING   TOOLS   FOR   OPERATION   NO.    6.      PRODUCTION,    45    PER   HR. 

A,  hand  reamer  for  inner  shoulder;  B,  hand  reamer  for  outer  shoulder;  C,  hand  reamer  for  inner  seat; 
D,  hand  reamer  for  rounding  inner  corner 


Chap.  II] 


MAKING  THE  BRITISH  TIME  MARK  80-44 


675 


After  the  graduated  ring  has  been  screwed  solidly  into  place,  the 
next  two  steps  are  the  drilling  and  tapping  for  the  threaded  plug  which 


Recessed  and 
h Z.ZZZiO.OOB  -  - -H      Colored  ffed^^^ 


Yjn^"%   ^Ij     fT^' 


2s,-.om^==^^'Z:Hm'De.p 


"hO-IBS  Diam.,44Th'ds. 
per  Inch,  R.H.,         ^7/  \\ 


Whlfworfh 


I    IlK 


2085-^0.002 


h 2.is"mo5'- -^mhoos' 


36  Wde..Der  ln..R.H..  Whiiwnr^h- 


^^234f'poe''  \0.I25 
^-■+0.605 


FIG.    580.       THE    GRADUATED    RING    IN   DETAIL 

keeps  the  ring  from  turning.  The  jig  used  for  drilling  the  locking  screw 
hole  is  shown  in  Fig.  583.  This  consists  simply  of  a  square  body  into 
which  the  fuse  body  is  drawn  by  means  of  a  nut  on  the  small  end  of  the 


k..  .■■.■^■0.463  , 

.^asiC^-'O-oo? 


Groove,  0.03* W/de^- 
0.02" Deep        Q06?' 

PIG.    581.     RING  CASTING   AND   ROUGH-TURNED   RING 


Stem,  and  the  hole  drilled  in  the  regular  way.     It  is  simply  one  of  the 
many  cases  where  extreme  simplicity  has  proved  best  in  the  long  run. 


676 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 


[Sec.  IV 


Chap.  II] 


MAKING  THE  BRITISH  TIME  MARK  80-44 


677 


su 


I 


K--/">i 


"»j*> 


./I 

'4*  J- 


h#>l 


s 


^CiJ 


■1 

-J 

a\-          / 

;         i^ 

! 

©^-^^^© 

r^'^^J 

.J—- 

^t 

Y 

•V 

<•-- 

>i 

r/r-. 


■ckT 


J^- 


►J* 


X.> 


j: 


M. 


i<//H<-//J 


JLX 


678 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 


[Sec.  IV 


An  interesting  feature  of  the  jigs  for  holding  the  fuse  body  for  drilling  is 
the  use  of  hardened  steel  pins  for  locating  the  body  from  the  serrated 
platform.     Four  pins  are  used,  these  being  assembled  in  position.     These 


TOOL  STEEL  (Harden) 

A 


Til 


m'-M'-wJ^, 


\<I3±0.005^ 


-2S73- 
B 


FIG.    584.      TURNING   OUTSIDE   OP  RING.       PRODUCTION,    30    PER    HR. 

A,  circular  forming  tool  for  graduated  ring;  B,  angle  gage;  C,  low  diameter  of  ring  and  platform 

do  not  retain  chips  and  make  it  easier  to  keep  the  jig  in  working  condition. 
The  tapping  is  done  without  a  fixture  by  means  of  a  small  friction  tapper 


t<- -if- H        ^- ^^^7 

TOOL  STEEL(Harden) 


^n< 


k-- 2'- 


.•^7„ff|l<- L.2.34  , 


i±aoo5' 


LQ.ir  f<- 


~H.13S-- 


nii 


90 


Z 

r< 1.2.43"- 


^    g 


PIG.    585.      TOOLS  AND  GAGES  FOR  FACING  UNDER  SIDE  OF  RING 
A,  facing  tool  for  under  side  of  ring;  B,  depth  of  recess  under  brass  collar;  C,  diameter  and  shape  of  recess 


built  by  the  Rickert-Shafer  Co.,  of  Erie,  Penn.  After  the  tapping, 
threaded  brass  rods  are  screwed  through  the  ring  into  the  body  and 
twisted  off.     The  body  then  goes  to  a  hand  screw  machine  or  bench 


Chap.  II] 


MAKING  THE  BRITISH  TIME  MARK  80-44 


679 


lathe,  as  the  case  may  be,  and  has  the  outside  of  the  ring  turned  in  opera- 
tion 14,  by  the  tool  shown  in  Fig.  584.  Next  comes  the  facing  of  the 
under  side  of  the  brass  rings,  Fig.  585  showing  the  tool  and  gages  used  in 
connection  with  this,  operation  15.  This  is  done  on  a  hand  screw  ma- 
chine and  is  one  of  the  particular  jobs  in  making  the  fuse.  Fig.  586 
shows  the  fixture,  the  routing  tool  and  the  gages  used  in  milling  the  key 
slot  in  the  ring,  as  shown  in  operation  16.     This  is  later  used  in  deter- 


TOOL 
/  STFBL 

IT       tL 


PIG.    586.      FIXTURE,    TOOLS   AND    GAGES   FOR   MILLING   KEY  SLOTS.      PRODUCTION,    100 

PER   HR. 

A,  holder  for  milling  ring;  B,  routing  cutter  for  key  slot;  C,  position  of  key  slot  from  magazine  hole; 
D,  depth  of  key  slot;  E,  length  of  key  slot 


mining  the  position  of  the  hole  through  the  platform  which  connects 
with  the  magazine  inside  the  large  end  of  the  body. 

The  recess  in  the  stem,  which  later  forms  the  connecting  passage 
with  the  flash  hole,  is  cut  in  a  Burke  hand  miller,  as  shown  in  operation 
17.  The  milling  cutter  and  gages  for  this  are  illustrated  in  Fig.  587. 
These  recesses  are  cut  very  rapidly  and,  in  common  with  all  operations 
which  follow  operation  16,  the  body  is  positioned  by  the  key  slot  already 
mentioned.  This  is  particularly  true  in  operation  18,  in  which  the  plat- 
form hole  is  drilled  in  the  jig  shown  in  Fig.  588.     As  can  be  seen,  the 


680 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 


[Sec.  IV 


rr2 


0] 


—       "" 

-, 

H*A 

FT 

. 

O' 

-■^■L; 

|--L 

k^ 

I 

"^ 


-■■f2 i->l 


^^ 


^■"^ 


M^U 


-±1 


^-'#-.^ 

1^ 

-kr%^j4 

--',_-_ . 

-'-^^y 

P 

H- --;^-- 

> 

A 

hf. 

■?tr 

f  " 

o 

1    - 

?i:}^ 

•^ 

o 

1    : 

i 

c 

±  t 

§A  U. 


la 


■.^* 


t>0 


-^lfl 


f.v 


2-->^ 


o   2 


00   « 


Chap.  II] 


MAKING  THE  BRITISH  TIME  MARK  80-44 


681 


center  line  of  the  hole  is  4  deg.  2  min.  30  sec.  from  the  center  of  the 
key  slot.     The  gages  are  also  shown  in  the  same  figure. 

Drilling  the  hole  through  from  the  side  of  the  platform  hole  to  the 
magazine  is  done  in  operation  19  and  in  the  fixture  shown  in  Fig.  589. 
The  gages  are  also  shown  in  the  same  figure. 


COLD-ROLLED  STEEL 
(Bone  Harden) 


\< JA" >< 

MACHINE  STEEL 


Base  Ring 


lOOC  >i(W|!^  • 
STEEL      Loccri-ing 
Ojt(Harden)       pjn 

Bushing 


FIG.    588.       FIXTURE   AND    GAGES   FOR   DRILLING   PLATFORM   HOLES.       PRODUCTION,    100 

PER   HR. 

Jig  for  drilling  platform  hole;  diameter  and  depth  gage  for  platform  hole 

The  flash  hole,  which  is  drilled  through  the  stem  of  the  body  into  the 
recess  shown  in  Fig.  584,  constitutes  operation  19.  The  fixture  and 
gages  for  this  are  shown  in  Fig.  590,  these  being  very  similar  to  those  for 
the  magazine  hole.  It  will  be  noted  in  several  of  these  fixtures  that  four 
small  hardened  and  ground  pins  are  used  for  locating  the  fuse  body  end- 


=TT 


V^:^i 


m 


<ai25 


FIG.    589. 


•=*»< ~-  ?it ->i 

c 

JIGS  AND  GAGES  FOR  DRILLING  MAGAZINE  HOLES.       PRODUCTION,  400  PER  HR. 

B,  diameter  of  magazine  hole;  C,  angle  of  magazine  hole 


wise.     These  come  in  contact  with  the  serrations  on  the  upper  side  of 
the  platform  and  inside  the  raised  ring  on  the  outer  diameter. 

Next  comes  the  graduating  of  the  ring  on  a  rolling  machine  built  by 
Noble  &  Westbrook.  This  is  divided  into  two  suboperations — the  first 
rolling  in  the  graduations  and  the  second  rolling  the  numerals  in  their 


682 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 


[Sec.  IV 


sM^i 

_ 1 

9SI0A  i< 


Chap.  II] 


MAKING  THE  BRITISH  TIME  MARK  80-44 


683 


proper  position.  In  both  of  these  suboperations  the  key  slot  previously 
referred  to  serves  to  locate  the  graduations  in  their  proper  position  on 
the  ring.     The  gage  is  shown  in  Fig.  591. 

Operation  22  consists  of  necking  behind  the  thread  on  the  end  of  the 
stem.  For  this  purpose  the  form  of  scissors  tool,  as  it  is  called,  shown  in 
Fig.  592  is  used,  together  with  the  gages  shown  in  the  same  group. 

The  final  operation  on  the  body  consists  of  marking  the  base  line. 


FIG.    591.       GAGES   FOR   GRADUATION   OF   RING 


This  is  done  by  the  punch  shown  in  Fig.  593  and  is  inspected  by  the  gage 
shown  in  the  same  figure. 

CAPS  AND  BASE  PLUGS  FOR  TIME  FUSE 

The  fuse  caps  and  base  plugs  are  made  from  one  casting  in  order  to 
facilitate  machining.  This  casting  is  also  of  aluminum  and  subjected  to 
the  same  heavy  pressure  as  the  body  in  order  to  insure  density  of  the 
material.     Full  details  of  the  caps  are  shown  in  Fig.  594,  while  Fig.  595 


msz^z^ 


■MACHINE  STIEL:. 


32:>- 


STi. 


r ^' 1 


2=^ 


(O))) 


►•Iftt  TOOLSTBEL  -7 -j 


2^- -A; 


A_ 


-(%' 


:s^ 


^ 2i- --^y- 2^- -H  r^ 

A  B 

FIG.    592.       TOOLS    AND    GAGES    FOR   NECKING    THE    STEM 
A,  necking  tool  for  stem;  B,  diameter  of  recess  behind  thread  on  stem 

shows  the  shape  of  the  casting  at  A,  and  the  operations,  the  first  being 
shown  at  B.  This  work  is  performed  in  a  hand  screw  machine  by  holding 
the  straight  portion  in  a  collet  and  boring  and  tapping  the  end  that  is 
later  to  form  the  cap.  The  tools  and  gages  for  this  operation  are 
shown  in  Fig.  596.  The  gage  at  H,  Fig.  596,  tests  both  the  diameter 
and  the  length  of  the  hole  tapped  in  the  cap.  The  threaded  portion 
of  the  gage  is  surrounded  by  a  steel  sleeve  held  in  place  by  a  spring. 
On  the  outside  of  this  sleeve  is  a  line  indicating  the  proper  position  when 


684 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 


[Sec.  IV 


^ 


:^^ 


r 

!!q 

--* 

-j==j=;f^d 

■4 

.-I/- 

-N 



1 


± : 

It  ; 

4 

IS ; 


~A 


Chap.  II] 


MAKING  THE  BRITISH  TIME  MARK  80-44 


685 


the  thread  in  the  cap  is  of  the  maximum  length.  The  tolerance  is 
0.002  in.  The  next  operation  cuts  off  the  end  that  is  to  form  the  base 
plug,  as  shown  at  C,  Fig.  592.  It  will  be  noted  at  A  that  the  end  of 
the  plug  is  recessed,  the  exact  shape  being  shown  in  the  base  plug 
details,  Fig.  601. 

Leaving  the  base  plug  for  the  present  and  continuing  with  the  com- 
pletion of  the  cap,  the  round  end  is  formed  in  the  usual  manner,  by 
either  flat  or  circular  forming  tools,  as  shown  in  Fig.  597.  The  cap  is 
then  easily  released  from  the  threaded  mandrel  A  by  means  of  the  left- 
hand  nut  that  forms  a  stop  and  enables  the  pressure  to  be  easily  relieved. 


I 


QOSiaOf 


'*aoo7' 


r-":<t^-Qw'^^ 


h39S"tQ00S"Dfam. H  \ 


Z4  TWs.perlnchY     k- Q867+aOG5'——->\ 


\Q02/?. 


-M 


FIG.    594.       DETAILS    OF    CAP 


Next  comes  the  drilHng  of  the  spanner  wrench  holes,  as  shown  at  E, 
Fig.  595,  this  being  done  in  a  simple  jig  A,  Fig.  598,  with  the  aid  of  a 
double-spindle  drilling  head.  The  spindles  have  a  center  distance  of 
0.413  in.  These  holes  are  0.10  in.  in  diameter,  and  both  the  diameter 
and  the  center  distance  are  tested  by  gages,  shown  in  Fig.  598  at  C. 
Then  the  side  hole  for  the  setscrew  is  drilled  as  at  F,  and  tapped  as  at 
G,  Fig.  595.  Tools  and  gages  for  these  operations  are  shown  in  Figs. 
599  and  600. 

After  the  plugs  have  been  cut  from  the  cap  casting,  they  are  held 
in  a  collet  and  finished  on  the  back  side,  the  sequence  of  operations  being 
given  in  Fig.  602.  This  plug  is  a  rather  difficult  piece  to  make,  the  various 
shaped  recesses  on  the  end  not  being  easy  to  handle.  The  thickness 
of  the  plug  is  determined  by  a  hardened  steel  stop  in  the  center  of  the 
facing  tool  that  makes  contact  with  a  distance  plug  in  the  center  of  the 


686 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 


[Sec.  IV 


Chap.  II] 


MAKING  THE  BRITISH  TIME  MARK  80-44 


687 


,9fO 


688 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 


[Sec.  IV 


18  Thcfs.per  Inch,  L.H.,  WhIi-mr-Fh 


TOOL  STEEL 
B 


^H^:^'"^ 1  #7<^ 


FIG.    597.      TURNING   THE    OUTSIDE   OF   THE    CAP 

Tools — A,  threaded  mandrel  for  holding  cap;  B,  flat  forming  tool  for  outside  of  cap.     Gages — C,  low 
length  and  shape  of  cap;  D,  diameter  of  cap.     A  similar  gage  tests  the  diameter  of  the  lip  on  the  cap 


7^" 


"   .0 
■16-64. 


m/Os'     '        '±.0.095" 
B 


^^ml_Ji 


Laof-^^fi^^ooTJ 


FE 


oSlfl  ll 


^ 


w^ 


^^@^m 


FIG.    598.       DRILLING   THE    WRENCH   HOLES 

Special  Tools — Sellew  drilling  head  with  fixed  center;  A,  drilling  fixture.     Gages — B,  diameter  of  holes; 

C,  center  distance  of  holes 


Chap.  II] 


MAKING  THE  BRITISH  TIME  MARK  80-44 


689 


collet.     Instead  of  threading  this  plug  at  the  first  operation  and  chucking 
it  by  the  thread,  the  threading  is  done  by  means  of  a  special  device 


r 

^ 

o 

-> 

0.\9 



-T^^-^ 

V 

1 

4          1 i 

v::/ 

i       iC=3 

\ 

!             '              1 

FIG.    599.       DRILLING    SETSCREW   HOLES 
Gage  for  distance  of  hole  from  space  of  cap. 


52   R-vv- 


-^T'u- ;-; v-,^"^ 


24  Tbrercfs  per  Inch.  Whifworih 
FIG.    600.       TAPPING    SETSCREW    HOLES 
Special  Tools — All  friction  tapping  heads;  Rickert-Shafer  friction  tapper. 

hole.     Production  200  per  hr. 


Gage — Diameter  of  cap 


ail8  ^0.004 


'H I.Z8iO.OZ- 


pss" 


H 1378-0.00Z---A  ^ 


"^aseeh-oo/ 


36  ms.    yMS.." 

oer  lnch--<   AtO.002 1 
per  men ^^   A^.qqqq' 


>. 


+O.QOZ- 


All  Threads 

^      Righ-tHand 

mifv/orfh 

Daie  of 
Filling  " 


Confracfors 
Iniiials  or 
Recognized  Trackmarp 

FIG.    601.      DETAILS   OF  BOTTOM   PLUG 


'±0.00S 


arranged  in  a  vertical  drilling  machine,  after  the  outside  has  been  finished. 
A  general  view  of  this  is  shown  in  Fig.  603,  and  the  detail  in  Fig.  604. 


690 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 


[Sec.  IV 


1= 

-r- 

1        1 

.         :-                I 

J- 

k« 

k^^ 

v_ 

__/                     

^ 


Chap.  II] 


MAKING  THE  BRITISH  TIME  MARK  80-44 


691 


Here  the  die  A  is  held  stationary  in  the  top  of  the  holder  B,  which  is 
fastened  to  the  drilling-machine  table.  A  plunger  C  comes  up  through 
the  center  of  the  die,  and  the  plug  to  be  threaded  is  laid  on  the  end  of 
this  central  plunger  at  D.  Then  the  drill  spindle,  which  carries  a  driver 
E^  is  brought  down  on  the  plug,  the  driver  fitting  the  cross-slots  on  the 
outer  end  of  the  plug  and  revolving  it  in  the  die  at  the  same  time  it  is 
supported  by  the  plunger,  to  insure  the  thread  being  cut  square  with 
the  axis  of  the  plug.     The   plunger  recedes  as  the   plug  is  threaded 


FIG.    603.      BASE    PLUG    THREADER   IN    POSITION    IN    DRILLING    MACHINES 


through  the  die  and  allows  the  finished  plug  to  drop  out  of  a  side 
opening,  as  can  be  seen.  Details  of  the  connections  are  shown  and  the 
whole  device  can  be  readily  understood. 

Next  comes  the  drilling  of  the  two  holes  for  the  spanner  wrench 
and  the  hole  for  the  loading  screw.  These  operations  are  shown  in  J 
and  K,  Fig.  602,  the  fixtures  and  tools  being  shown  in  Fig.  605.  The 
plug  hole  is  also  counterbored  for  the  head  of  the  screw  and  finally  tapped 
to  0.198  in.  with  36  threads  per  inch,  Whitworth  form. 

The  packing  of  these  parts  for  shipment  is  also  important  as  being 


692 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 


Sec.  IV 


•Hfh- 


•>l?h- 


Chap.  II] 


MAKING  THE  BRITISH  TIME  MARK  80-44 


693 


(2)    . 


I 


4i 


H-.S30M 


SI 

is 

i 

II 


•oils  : 


^  o 


■;^-S: 


...^  ^s'F^^I 


"tiS  ^«T 


^ 


■xJ?^ 


1? 


^^-^ 


O    o 
g   o. 


O  .2 

02     "J 


694 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 


[Sec.  IV 


of  aluminum  they  are  easily  damaged.     The  boxes  used,  with  all  essential 
details,  are  shown  in  Figs.  606  and  607. 


* 

\zz 

_ 

rz 

/\ 

/\ 

1 

/  N 

1    II 

■ 

7-\ 

1 

No3  Cardboard 
Packing,  f^' Thick, 


480  per  Box 


■^w H 


Ho.l  Cardboard 

Packing£Thick, 

12  per  Box 


^ "■- '7-;; - 

Hq.^  Cardboard  Packing,]^  lhkk,36  per  Box 

FIG.    606.      PACKING   BOXES   FOR   CAPS 


'  nr"  nr    "  "^ 

"it  l"^^   4^ 

1    1       \ 

~" 

! 

c; 

^  > 

>»  y 

~r 

1 

■ztf- 


-S4i- 


JT 


Di 


•»/#l^:- 


chs  HcZCardb^ard 


96 per  Box 


So.l  Cardboard  Packing,^Jhick,  SperBox 
FIG.    607.       PACKING  BOXES    FOR  BASE    PLUGS 


MAKING  THE  SMALL  PARTS  OF  THE  BRITISH  TIME  FUSE 

In  addition  to  the  body,  cap,  base  plug  and  timing  rings  that  have 
been  described  in  more  or  less  detail,  there  are  also  many  other  parts 
that  are  largely  made  in  the  automatic  screw  machine  and  the  punch 


Chap.  II] 


MAKING  THE  BRITISH  TIME  MARK  80-44 


695 


;»  ^.^^0^ 


JOOVfSOO- 


696 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 


[Sec.  IV 


Chap.  II] 


MAKING  THE  BRITISH  TIME  MARK  80-44 


697 


press.  These  are  shown  in  Figs.  608  and  609,  the  designating  letters 
corresponding  to  those  used  in  Fig.  568,  and  for  the  most  part  are  made 
on  automatic  screw-machines.      No  special  methods  are  employed  but 


■Solder 


Brass  Cap 


RL.  or  Con-frachrs  Initials  or 
Recognized  TrlrdeMark 
Loi-  Number  of  Fuse 
Numeral  of  Fus& 
Ddfe  erf  Manufachire  of  Fuse 


as? 


\<J.875mi5-H 


BRASS  WIRE 
Brass  Ring 


-i- -]-■■-  -^-^         ^  ^-^^^  777/c/r 

H.A- afo^aof^-.::^^"^'^'^ 

'-To  be  Sienciledin  Black 

Tearing -off  S+rip 

C 


FIG.    610.       THE    FUSE    COVER    OR    CAP 


the  collection  of  gages  which  are  used  is    particularly   complete — see 
Figs.  611  to  623. 

Fig.  610  shows  the  brass  fuse  cover  as  originally  called  for  and  gives 


!<.. ;  "..-^COLD-ROLLED  STEEL' y\^\<. 


TOOL  STEEL  ,' 

A     si. 

mi  % 


4i 


5c; 


r< H n 


0.059 


i>^^ 


6 


£  p  NOTE:  All  Gages  are  Tool  Si&>l 

FIG.    611.       TIME    PELLET 

A,  total  length;  B,  diameter  of  body;  C,  depth  of  detonator  recess;  D,  diameter  and  steps  of  threaded 
parts;  E,  diameter  of  detonator  recess;  F,  diameter  of  central  hole;  G,  shape  of  top 


some  idea  of  the  work  that  it  involved.  It  consists  of  the  body  A,  the 
brass  wire  ring  B,  which  must  be  butted  together  and  brazed  at  the  joint, 
the  tearing- off  strip  C  and  the  short  brass  strip  D.     This  strip  is  soldered 


698 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 
"1      jJi* 


K 1^    — 


H.0299'      ,-L0.d97"         » 


COLD-ROLLED 
STEEL 


i      1^ 


l^t^V      U  T>CL ^X:^         U  ■      ^\<H.a064'         '^\<L0.0S4' 


B  C 


[Sec.  IV 


t^--/^--"^    i>it- 


^\<H.Q064  ^\<L0.0S4' 

TOOL  STEEL 

o 


FIG.    612.       TIME-PELLET   SCREW 
A,  total  length;  B,  diameter  of  plug;  C,  diameter  of  nipple;  D,  length  of  nipple 


B.0.08Z  LjO.075      ' 

-r ^ 


TOQLSTEEL(Harden) 


.  »<■ ^-^-^^.^^ 

k zk H 

0/?/tL  ROD  (Harden) 
H 


^:*L. 


-%sr  XS5'  •# 


\>H.0A5B\  L0.4S6\ 
E-H.0.587    L0.579 


■^ 


Off/iLL  ROD(Harden) 

I 


DRILL  ROD  (Harden) 


\j  ZATh'ds.  per  Inch, 
5?     R.H.,mH-Y,orih 


o 


L0.32: 


t< - 5^ .-J 


■«^^ /■ ^'  4ii> 

DRILL  ROD  (Harden) 
G 


y-^ 


FIG.    613. 


TOOL  STEEL  (Harden) 
K 
PERCUSSION   PELLET 


A,  total  length;  B,  thickness  of  flange;  C,  diameter  of  front  part;  D,  diameter  of  body;  E,  diameter  of 
plan;  F,  diameter  and  recess  in  top;  G,  depth  of  recess  detonator  in  top;  H,  diameter ^of  central  hole; 
I,  diameter  of  detonator  recess;  J,  diameter  and  depth  of  threaded  part;  K,  external  forms 


Chap.  II] 


MAKING  THE  BRITISH  TIME  MARK  80-44 


699 


700L  STEkiCHarJen) 


24  Th'ds.  per  Inch, 
RH^mHworfh 


.1.0.297'"^' 


COLD-ROLLED  .  .>ii<. 

.'  STEEL  ,L0.I9Z      ^^ 


£5)  Pi  (f^  §"] 

?•   •  n     ■.-rnrM   c-rrri  ur\'>r\'>l-^  a     ^n-nni    <TFFf 


T 


■  S"^    (Harden) 


H.QZ02--       y"     [TOOL  STEEL 
\<-f>\  (Harden) 


JhK- 


r         La054'A 


/#" H 

TOOL  STEEL  (Harden) 
D 

FIG.    614. 


J^^@ 


I    K /i'v-->i</>l  'AiV 

DRILL  ROD  (Harden) 


PERCUSSINO-PELLET   SCREW    PLUG 

A,  total  length;  B,  diameter  of  screw  plug;  C,  diameter  of  nipple;  D,  length  of  nipple;  E,  diameter  of 

center  hole 


1^.,. £>i 


i' 


■^^ 


^^  ^-£ 


■>i?' 


: )  JL 


NOTE:  All  Gages  are  Too!  Sieel 


(O)     iggflL&gJ  ^-y  i>uaB  ^ 

l< -2l- >l 


"1      5f>11<- 


.i-^U? 


o>i£^i 


•.J<j(25// 


j    '*      i^COLD-ROLLED  STEEL 
'     -^  '    1.0.509" 


3-j  E 


Sf 


^'TOOL  STEEL 


FIG.    615.       TIME    STIRRUP    SPRING    GAGES 

A,  length  and  form;  B,  diameter  of  hole;  C,  internal  form;  D,  width  of  lugs;  E,  thickness  of  brass 

F,  diameter  of  circular  part 


700 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 


[Sec.  IV 


to  the  cap  of  the  body  A  in  order  to  hold  the  ring  B  on  the  side  opposite 
the  hold  of  the  tearing-off  strip. 

The  object  of  the  fuse  cover  is  to  protect  the  fuse  from  exposure  to 
dampness  and  to  guard  it  against  mechanical  injury.  Another  form  of 
cap  was  made  of  heavy  tinfoil,  although  this  later  gave  place  to  a  cap 
of  lead  thoroughly  coated  with  tin  in  order  to  prevent  any  possible 
contact  of  the  lead  and  the  explosive  material,  which  make  a  dangerous 
combination. 

The  screw-machine  work  covers  everything  but  the  washers,  detonat- 
ing time  and  percussion  body  and  the  stirrup  spring.  These  are  all 
punch-press    operations,    and    while    seemingly   simple   in   themselves. 


\<-^F HiHh 


-H J^k-       TOOL  STEEL 
A 


.'Lae29 


CbLS-RolLip  STEEL  "W 


1^^ — H^l  .  - 

B 


LQ/16 


(9) 

i-T 


^<- 


I 


C 

FIG.    616.       PERCUSSION   BODY 

A,  total  length;  B,  diameter  of  outside;  C,  thickness  of  base;  D,  diameter  of  central  hole  in  base 


i_  lii  JL 

H.0.12" 

Tool  steel 

D 


some  of  the  specifications  are  not  easy  of  fulfillment.  The  stirrup 
springs,  for  example,  are  made  of  hard  rolled  sheet  brass.  The  spring 
for  the  percussion  pellet  must  be  gaged  after  having  been  subjected 
to  a  pressure  of  60  lb.  in  a  steel  counterpart  of  the  fuse  pellet  and  should 
return  to  the  mean  dimension.  It  must  yield  at  a  load  of  not  less  than 
77  lb.,  nor  more  than  99  lb.,  these  pressures  being  the  limits  which  the 
fuse  is  supposed  to  be  subjected  under  firing  conditions. 

The  time  stirrup  spring  is  made  in  a  similar  manner  and  must  with- 
stand a  minimum  pressure  of  100  lb.  A  certain  percentage  of  those 
tested  must  not  yield  at  less  than  125  lb.  nor  more  than  165  lb. 


Chap.  II] 


MAKING  THE  BRITISH  TIME  MARK  80-44 


n 


O 


met4 


^^■^^'iimel 


^  [<•: 


B 


t4  Th'ds.  per  Inch,  R.H..  mjinorih 
D 
^" H 

1 


k 


■•^J ^  'lOOL  STEEL  (Harden  and  Grind)' 

^  Z4Wds.per!nch.R.H.Mifworfh 

6 

FIG.    617.      PERCUSSION-AKRANGEMENT   HOLDER 


M^- 


701 


A,  length  of  holder;  B,  diameter  and  depth  of  holder;  C,  length  of  head;  D,  diameter  of  needle  hole  in 
crown;  E,  diameter  of  large  part  of  head;  F,  length  of  screw  threads;  G,  diameter  of  screw  threads. 


H- -if- •v-H 

lOOL  STEEL       \^"' '^1 


ilH- 


TOOL  STEEL        -A    ^^0256" 

B 

FIG.    618.      CAP   HOLDER 

A,  total  length;  B,  internal  diameter  and  form;  C,  diameter  of  central  hole 


702 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 


[Sec.  IV 


^   TOOL  STEEL 

I  ft  i 


A 


^^.l<.^H57£-fil..J^t 


!■' 


raOL  STEEL 
■  KQ/SS'      ^y        LQ/iV', 


FIG.    619.      DETONATOR   SPRING   GAGES 

A,  total  length;  B,  diameter  of  spring;  C,  inside  diameter  of  top  of  coil;  D,  standard  weight  for  testing 


^ 


,     .-LaoBS    , 

^  ^.....^ ^ 

c 


?-f5'    0.09 Ay    5 


ir-ry 


f^l<    k-^'h      •''^■^^^^ 


rq 


■21  ■■ 

F 


1  -^  1     »l 


rl>i         p/li  t<iH         |<^i 


//.Q^r- 


L.0.446        H.a44S/^-- 
I 


//(?7f;  >4//  Gages  are  Tool  Sieel 


FIG.  620.   FERRULE  GAGES 

A,  total  length;  B,  length  of  champer;  C,  thickness  of  flange  at  top;  D,  cone  and  diameter;  E,  radius 
at  bottom;  F,  depth  of  to  shoulder  in  bore;  G,  another  form  of  gage  for  same  purpose;  H,  diameter  of 
bore  at  top;  I,  diameter  of  bore 


Chap.  II]  MAKING  THE  BRITISH  TIME  MARK  80-44 


703 


-^K^H^^ 


* 

T" 

rw] 

: 

.Oi-: 

X 

rM 

! 

i 

v^- 

i-1 

Mb 

%  K 


■If 


:  CS 

i  a: 

li 


>lfl«^fKi 


r\ 


> 


;    -IS 


-ciS' 


(0) 


XL 
J" 


f<--t/— >j 


-?|!^ 


ff 
■if 


I 


H-;|/-->j 


:s! =i_^ 


!         DOiON  ~^ 


-sn 


X_ 


■>l   k^fi'jw 


± 


r 


iON  <3 


09    5 

3: 


-^^^^, 


^     to 
O     « 

03     O 


o  ,», 
&«   6 

02  Q 


C!   o 
o 


704 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 


[Sec.  IV 


f4  Jh'ds.  per  Inch,  R.H..  mihorfh 

■■■:-■  2--^ •— H         ^iK 


'•TOOL  STfEL  (Harden) 
FIG.    623.      SETSCREW   FOR   CAP 

Screw-machine  times  on  these  parts  are: 


Time  pellet,  140  per  hr. 

Time-pellet  screw,  380  per  hr. 

Percussion  pellet,  130  per  hr. 

Percussion-pellet  screw  plug,  380  per  hr. 

Base-plug  screw,  260  per  hr. 

Ferrule,  300  per  hr. 

Rotating  pin,  600  per  hr. 

Slotting  rotating  pins,  1,800  per  hr. 

Cap  setscrew,  450  per  hr. 

Slotting  cap  setscrews,  2,000  per  hr. 

Polishing  top  of  cap  setscrews,  1,700  per 

hr. 
Time  pellet.  Delta  metal,  360  per  hr. 
Time-pellet  screw  plug,  400  per  hr. 


Slotting  time-pellet  screw  plug,  1,200 
per  hr. 

Rethreading  time-pellet  screw  plug,  800 
per  hr. 

Polishing  time-pellet  screw  plug,  1,200 
per  hr. 

Percussion-pellet  automatic,  130  per 
hr. 

Reseating  top  of  percussion-pellet  auto- 
matic, 800  per  hr. 

Polishing  top  of  percussion-pellet  auto- 
matic, 2,000  per  hr. 


The  foregoing  are  the  number  of  pieces  the  automatics  are  timed  to 
produce.  The  actual  work  turned  out,  however,  is  considerably  less — 
as  is  always  the  case.  In  the  average  shop  from  75  to  80  per  cent,  of 
the  camming  time  is  a  good  output. 


CHAPTER  III 

MAKING  PRIMERS  FOR   CARTRIDGE  CASES i— LOADING  THE 

PRIMERS 


Smokeless  Powder 


FIG.    624.      PRIMER   IN   PLACE   IN   CASE 


The  general  appearance  of  the  primer  for  field  artillery  and  its  parts 
is  shown  in  Fig.  625.  They  are  seen  in  place  in  a  cartridge  case  in  Fig. 
624.  While  the  primer  is  very  simple  as  compared  with  the  time  or 
even  the  detonating  fuse,  it  involves  more  problems  than  might  appear, 
especially  when  5,000,000  are  made  on  one  order,  as  was  called  for  by 
the  contract  awarded  the  American  Multigraph  Co.,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 

These  primers  fire  the  charge  in 
the  cartridge  case  that  expels  the 
projectile  from  the  gun,  just  as  the 
percussion  cap  in  the  fuse  of  a  shot- 
gun shell  fires  the  powder  inside. 
One  of  these  primers  does  more, 
however,  for  it  must  not  only  fire 
the  charge  of  powder  ahead  of  it  but 
prevent  the  gases  from  getting  back 
into  the  breech  of  the  gun. 

The  small  exploding  charge  is  contained  in  the  small  copper  cup  that 
fits  into  the  base  of  the  body.  Just  above  this  is  the  anvil  to  receive  the 
blow  of  the  firing  hammer.  Next  is  the  plug,  which  backs  up  the  anvils 
and  also  forms  a  cover  for  the  safety  pocket  in  the  anvil.  Surrounding 
the  central  stem  is  a  recass  for  a  powder  charge  that  is  ignited  by  the 
small  exploder  in  the  base.  The  explosion  of  this  charge  bursts  through 
the  paper  cover  and  the  copper  closing  disk,  igniting  the  main  charge  in 
the  cartridge  case  and  firing  the  projectile  from  the  gun.  The  reaction, 
however,  forces  gas  backward  and  bends  the  points  of  the  closing  disk 
in.  It  is  for  this  reason  that  the  small  copper  ball  is  used  as  a  check 
valve  in  the  anvil  cavity. 

This  ball  normally  rests  on  the  lower  side  of  the  cavity  and  allows  the 
flame  to  shoot  through  the  three  small  holes  in  the  anvil  and  out  through 
three  similar  holes  in  the  plug.  The  ball  is  forced  against  tho  plug,  and 
to  prevent  its  interfering  with  the  flame  reaching  the  powder  in  the  sur- 
rounding cavity,  a  groove  is  cut  in  the  inside  face  of  the  plug  to  allow 
free  passage  no  matter  what  the  position  of  the  ball. 

The  primer  proper,  the  percussion  cap,  involves  no  intricate  opera- 

1  Fred  H.  Colvin,  Associate  Editor,  American  Machinist. 
45  705 


706 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 


[Sec.  IV 


tions,  being  a  simple  punch-press  task  that  simply  calls  for  close  limits. 
But  the  balance  of  the  primer  parts  involve  a  number  of  more  or  less 
complicated  operations  and  these,  as  performed  at  the  shops  of  the 
American  Multigraph  Co.,  are  of  interest. 


'Paper  disk 
secured  w/Ht 
cement 

■Mag'azine 

■Plugrsecured 
wiih  fhree 
punch  dabs 

'"Coaf  wJih 
Cemen-h 


ad6±aoz >\ 


0.055^0.001        „       , 

-miik-o-i29^o.opi' 
' '  -^  /O.oik 

.-■0.245^.003" 


m'k^^'X'^ 


wi'^^'nn  Foil  Disk 
OM'tOWy  -OOOfihick 

K-— H'  Mcrferia/iCopper 
PRIMER 


^•^0.0025 


Creorm-Lxzicf  Paper 
DISK 


Maferiah(~\ 
SoU-Copper^ 
BALK. 


^-~A0.lt5±0jOOi 


j  Cuf-  by  shearings 
\or  sawn  ncrf- io     „ 
xceedaon 


^o.m^ 


^SS 


y 


^aowR 


<5J 


"This  piece 

foie 
svyacfed 


Maiericf/i  Brass  ^^0^ 

CIJ0S1N6     DISK 

FIG.    625.       THE    COMPLETE    PRIMER 


\Cream-4xttd Paper 
DISK 


The  Primer  Body. — The  primer  body  is  shown  in  Fig.  626.  It  is 
made  from  bar  stock  1.410  in.  in  diameter.  As  the  outside  finish  size 
is  1.4  in.  with  a  tolerance  of  0.004  in.,  this  gives  from  0.01  to  0.014  in. 
to  clean  up,  which  means  a  very  true  running  chuck  to  start  with.     The 


Chap.  Ill] 


MAKING  PRIMERS  FOR  CARTRIDGE  CASES 


707 


material  must  have  a  tensile  strength  of  26,880  lb.  per  sq.  in.,  a  breaking 
strength  of  44,800  lb.  and  an  elongation  of  30  per  cent. 

Nine  main  operations  on  the  primer  bodies  were  found  necessary  to 
secure  maximum  output  of  work.  These,  together  with  brief  data,  are 
as  follows: 


|<- OMO"±0.020'~—A  I 

[<. agBo'^aoBo-'—A. 

Before  Closing 


k-14  Wds  per  Inch.  R.H.  British  Sfd  Whiimrfh  j<: 

ga^^  »t       ••        »♦      »»  n         n  tt 

Brass 

FIG.    626.       THE    DETAILS    OF   THE    PRIMER  BODY 


SEQUENCE  OF  BODY  OPERATIONS 

1.  Turning  and  boring  blanks. 

2.  Facing  the  head. 

3.  Milling  thread  on  primer  body. 

4.  Washing  in  gasoline. 

5.  Milling  key  seats. 

6.  Tapping  for  anvil. 

7.  Finishing  counterbore. 

8.  Washing  in  gasoline. 

9.  Final  inspection. 

BODY  OPERATION  1.      TURNING  AND  BORING 

Machine  Used — Gridley  1^-in.  automatic. 
Special  Fixtures — Tools  in  automatic. 
Production — 150  per  hr.  per  machine. 

'     BODY  OPERATION  2.       FACING  THE   HEAD 

Machine  Used — Brown  &  Sharpe  vertical  miller. 
Special  Fixture — Table  for  continuous  milling. 
Production — 500  per  hour. 

BODY    OPERATION    3.       MILLING    THREAD    ON    PRIRTER   BODY 

Machine  Used — Special  thread  miller. 
Production — 450  to  500  per  hour. 


708 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 


[Sec.  IV 


BODY   OPERATIONS  4   AND   8.      WASHING   IN   GASOLINE 


'a 


SweafCuftel-l'-Z'-- #4"-,-l 


--?>/"-]) 


'•Three Flutes  .-/      ///.    Mo3l Orilh O.lf 
'Taper  ^  in  II 

high-Speed  Steel,  Harden  &  Grind 

BODY     OPERATION     5.       MILLING     KEY     SLOTS 


Machine  Used — Special  five-spindle  miller. 
Production — 2,400  per  hr. 


BODY  OPERATION  6.       TAPPING  FOR  ANVIL        BODY  OPERATION  7.    FINISH  COUNTERBORE 

Machine  Used — Vertical  drilling  ma-  Machine  Used — Vertical  drilling  ma- 
chine, chine. 

Special  Fixtures — Errington  tapping  Special  Fixtures — Holding  fixture  and 

head  and  fixtures.  tools. 

Production — 250  per  hr.  Production — 600  per  hr. 

The  first  operation  is  performed  on  1%-in.  Gridley  four-spindle 
automatics,  the  tooling  set-up  being  shown  in  Fig.  627.  The  sequence 
of  operations  is  shown  beneath  the  various  views,  the  outside  turning 
and  the  counterboring  being  done  simultaneously,  in  both  roughing  and 
finishing.  This  is  made  possible  by  the  cross-slide  forming  tool  being  run 
into  the  flute  of  the  counterbore,  although  the  tool  layout  indicates  an 
interference,  as  the  counterbore  has  been  turned  to  show  the  shape  of 
the  cutting  edges.  The  forming  tools  and  counterbores  are  shown  in 
Fig.  628. 

From  the  Gridley  the  fuse  bodies  go  to  the  face-milling  attachment, 
shown  in  Fig.  629.  The  table  holds  30  bodies,  gripping  each  body  in  a 
pair  of  jaws  that  are  drawn  down  in  a  wedge-shaped  pocket  by  the 


Chap.  Ill] 


MAKING  PRIMERS  FOR  CARTRIDGE  CASES 


709 


levers  with  rollers  on  the  end,  these  rollers  passing  under  a  cam  at  the 
proper  time.  This  draws  them  down  against  the  face  of  the  plate  just 
before  they  pass  under  the  single-pointed  fly  cutter  which  runs  at  top 
speed  and  makes  a  flat^smooth  surface. 


Br 


F!nish  Form  dOOS Small 

Finish  Form  Counierbore 
Finish  Reamer 


4ib 
Spindle 


Z-^Spindle 


Cuhif 


Rough  Form 
Rough  Counlerbore 
and  Drill 

FIG.  627.   TOOL  SET-UP  FOR  BODY  OPERATION  1 


Rough 


Finishing 

Usei  Trust  Drill 
0974    ' 


TOOL  5TE^L(Harden  and  Grind) 

Finish  Coun+erbore  for  l|- 
Grid  ley  Ay+o  for  O.S.Y/.  100 


Q360  Ream 


O 


- 1^-->\„ 


■ojeo 

0S70' 


TOOL  STEEL 
(Harden  and 

Grind)  |V 

Roughing  Coun+erbore  for  l|- 
Gridley  Au+o  for0.5.W.I00 


3§1 


iRei 


•zJL. 

,•5/6 

\^a5i5->\ 


r, 


,'i 


4- J 


iioTKi  ^/f0\mdl,-i7' 


It^S 


K*  Relief    'J^*  "^Zf'Ofe  I  OSeO" 

TOOL  5TEEL(Harden  and 6rind Shank  only) 
Two-flu+e  Formed  Reamer  •for 
i|  Grid  ley  Au+o  for  O.S.Yy.  100 


FIG.  628.   FORMING  TOOLS  AND  COUNTERBORES 


Just  behind  the  milling  cutter  is  an  ingenious  device  that  stamps  the 
back  of  the  primer  body  with  the  company  mark  ''M,"  saving  one 
operation.     This  punch,  or  stamp,  is  actuated  by  the  small  wedges  E 


710 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 


[Sec.  IV 


which  lift  the  punch  and  then  release  it,  a  spring  behind  the  punch  giving 
it  a  quick  blow  which  does  the  stamping.  The  milling  spindle  A  carries 
a  single  point  fly  cutter.  Each  set  of  gripping  jaws  has  a  roller  B  on  the 
outer  end  which  is  actuated  by  the  cams  C  and  D.  The  first  draws  the 
jaws  down,  locking  the  primer,  while  the  second  D  raises  the  roller  and 
the  jaws  for  releasing  and  reloading.  The  wedges  E  raise  the  marking 
stamp  and  release  it  for  the  blow.  Air  jets  keep  the  chips  clear  of  the 
work  and  the  holding  jaws. 


FIG.    629.      BROWN    AND    SHARP   VERTICAL   MILLER 


The  thread  milling  comes  next,  being  done  at  the  rate  of  10  per  minute 
on  the  special  machine  shown  in  Fig.  630.  This  machine  has  one  hob 
with  alternately  relieved  threads,  and  two  spindles  which  carry  the  primer 
bodies.  The  primer  bodies  are  automatically  gripped  by  the  flange, 
carried  against  the  hob,  rotated  and  moved  endwise  at  the  proper  speed, 
and  moved  away  from  the  hob,  the  other  spindle  then  coming  into 
operation.  The  time  for  loading  and  unloading,  although  there  is  no 
lost  time,  is  at  the  rate  of  6  seconds  each. 

The  fourth  operation  is  to  wash  in  gasohne,  it  having  been  found  the 
most  suitable  cleanser.  It  is  used  in  small  quantities  only,  kept  in  shal- 
low pans,  and  every  precaution  taken  to  prevent  flame  from  coming 
anywhere  near  it. 

The  fifth  operation  is  to  mill  the  key,  or  wrench  slots,  another  special 
machine.  Fig.  631,  being  used  for  this  purpose.     This  slot-milling  machine 


Chap.  Ill] 


MAKING  PRIMERS  FOR  CARTRIDGE  CASES 


711 


carries  five  horizontal  milling  spindles,  three  running  in  one  direction 
and  two  in  the  other,  and  works  on  four  bodies  simultaneously.  The 
bodies  are  placed  in  the  cylinder  of  the  machine,  two  operators  being 
kept  busy  in  loading  it.  The  bodies  are  indexed  into  position;  the  five 
spindles  move  sidewise,  first  one  way  and  then  the  other,  and  in  so  doing 
mill  the  two  slots  in  all  four  bodies.  The  cylinder  is  turned  at  a  rate  of 
40  bodies,  or  10  movements,  per  minute,  or  2,400  per  hour. 


FIG.    630.       SPECIAL   THREAD    MILLER 


The  illustration  shows  two  views  and  gives  the  essential  details. 
The  cylinder  G  is  removed  from  the  shaft  F  in  one  view.  The  five 
spindles  are  shown  at  A  and  the  four  holding  fingers  at  B.  The  arm  C 
carrying  the  pawl  D  and  actuated  by  the  lever  E  indexes  the  cylinder 
by  means  of  the  ratchet  H.  It  is  a  very  compact  and  very  efficient  little 
machine  for  this  kind  of  work. 

Tapping,  the  sixth  operation,  is  done  under  a  sensitive  drill  with  the 
aid  of  Errington  tapping  devices  at  the  rate  of  nearly  500  an  hour,  the 
body  being  held  in  the  fixture  shown  in  Fig.  632.  The  body  is  set  over 
the  two  pins,  to  hold  against  turning,  and  the  fork  is  slid  over  the  flange 
to  prevent  lifting. 

Following  the  tapping  comes  the  finish  counterboring  to  get  the  seat 
for  the  percussion  cap  the  correct  distance  from  the  face  of  the  primer 
body  and  also  to  insure  the  length  of  this  recess  being  exactly  correct, 
so  as  to  hold  the  anvil  and  plug  in  proper  relation  to  the  tap. 

This  counterboring  is  done  under  a  sensitive  drilling  machine  similar 
to  that  used  for  the  tapping  previously  referred  to,  the  fixture  and  methods 


712 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 


[Sec.  IV 


Chap.  Ill] 


MAKING  PRIMERS  FOR  CARTRIDGE  CASES 


713 


being  clearly  shown  in  Fig.  633.  The  key  slots  of  the  fuse  body  are 
placed  over  the  two  locating  pins,  and  the  combined  counterbore  and 
spacing  cutter,  A  and  B  respectively,  are  brought  down  into  the  recess 


FIG.    632.       SPECIAL   TAPPING    FIXTURE 


until  the  collar  C  rides  on  the  hard-steel  bushing  D.  This  insures  the 
correct  depth  and  can  be  handled  very  rapidly,  a  production  of  about 
600  an  hour  being  maintained  throughout  the  day. 


FIG.    633.       COUNTERBORING   FIXTURE 


The  eighth  operation  is  to  wash  again  in  gasoline,  preparatory  to  the 
ninth  operation,  or  final  inspection. 

The  finished  primer  bodies  are  substantially  boxed  for  shipment  to 
the  loading  factory.     The  heavy  wooden  boxes,  12%  X  14%  X  9%-in. 


714 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 


[Sec.  IV 


deep,  hold  100  primers  per  layer — 10  layers  per  box.  A  sheet  of  corru- 
gated cardboard  is  placed  between  each  layer,  the  primers  in  each 
layer  being  staggered,  and  also  over  the  top.  When  packed  in  this 
way,  the  upper  layer  protrudes  beyond  the  box  so  that,  when  the  cover 
is  nailed  down,  the  thin  edges  of  the  primer  bodies  force  their  way  into 
the  corrugated  paper.  This  effectively  prevents  any  shifting  or  injury 
to  the  contents. 


*  0.285 


I 
QOSS! 
a045 


36  threads  per  Inch,  Righ-f- Hanctf 

BriHsh  5fcrpc/afx/,  Whiiworfh 
% 


0.252, 

0.248 

0.34-r''t00^f""- 

FIG.    634.      DETAILS    OF   THE    ANVIL 


(Finish  all  over) 


The  Primer  Anvil. — The  anvil.  Fig.  634,  is  made  from  brass-rod  stock 
in  five  main  operations,  which,  together  with  brief  data,  are  as  follows : 

SEQUENCE  OF  ANVIL  OPERATIONS 

1.  Forming  the  blank. 

2.  Drilling  the  blank. 

3.  Slotting. 

4.  Removing  the  burr  by  hand. 

5.  Shaving  rounded  end. 


ANVIL   OPERATION    1.      FORMING 

Machine  Used — National  Acme  automatic  No.  515. 
Production — 550  per  hr. 


Chap.  Ill]  MAKING  PRIMERS  FOR  CARTRIDGE  CASES 


715 


ANVIL   OPERATION   2.       DRILLING 

Machines  Used — ^Langelier  and  Burke  bench  machines. 
Special  Fixtures — Drilling  fixture. 
Production — 440  per  hr. 


ANVIL    OPERATION    3.       SLOTTING 


Machine  Used — National  Acme  slotter. 
Production — 1,800  per  hr. 


ill  mm 


vfeffj^f^^^"^ 


ANVIL  OPERATION   4.      HAND  BURRING   THE   SLOT   OP   THE   ANVIL 


^^mi^t^m^^^^;<i      « 


ANVIL   OPERATION   5.      SHAVE   ROUND   END 

Machine  Used — Brown  &  Sharpe  bench  machine. 
Special  Fixture — SpUt  chuck. 
Production — 550  per  hr. 


716 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 


[Sec.  IV 


The  first  operation,  forming  the  anvil,  is  done  on  a  National  Acme 
No.  515  and  consists  of  four  sub-operations  in  the  order  indicated  on 
Fig.  635 — i.e.,  form,  counterbore,  thread  and  cut-off.     The  machines 


^S^ 


FIG.  635.   TOOL  LAYOUT  FOR  ANVIL  OPERATION  1 

employed  for  this  work  are  single  tooled  and  average  12,000  pieces  in 
21J^  hours. 

The  second  operation  on  the  anvil  consists  in  drilling  the  three  flash 
holes  in  its  rounded  end.     This  work  is  done  in  the  fixture  shown  in 


FIG.    636.      SPECIAL  INDEXING   FIXTURE 


Fig.  636,  the  drill  being  run  in  either  a  small  Burke  bench  drilling 
machine  or  in  one  of  the  new  high-speed  machines  built  by  Langelier. 
The  latter  handle  about  4,000  primer  anvils  in  9  hours. 


Chap.  Ill] 


MAKING  PRIMERS  FOR  CARTRIDGE  CASES 


717 


The  base  of  the  indexing  fixture,  Fig.  636,  is  inchned  so  as  to  give  the 
desired  angle  to  the  hole,  and  no  guide  bushing  is  found  necessary,  as 
the  drill  is  allowed  to  project  only  a  short  distance  from  the  chuck.  The 
anvil  to  be  drilled  is  dropped  into  the  opening  A,  resting  on  the  plunger 
B,  and  held  by  a  slight  movement  of  the  knurled  setscrew  C.  It  is 
indexed  around  by  hand,  from  notch  to  notch;  when  the  last  hole  is 
drilled  a  movement  of  the  lever  D  into  the  dotted  position  shown  ejects 
the  anvil  by  means  of  the  plunger  B.  This  plunger  is  normally  held  in 
its  lower  position  by  the  helical  springs,  and  the  indexing  lever  can  be 
moved  only  far  enough  to  cause  ejection  when  the  holder  is  in  one 
position. 


3t:  a) 


36  Threads  per  Inch,   /\       O.I20l  J 
R.H.BrHish,Whifmrih5fU^"0m    '^ 


Brass 

FIG.    637.       THE    PLUG    ENLARGED    AND    DIMENSIONED 


The  third  operation  on  the  anvil  is  slotting  in  a  National  Acme  screw 
slotter  provided  with  suitable  holding  plates,  and  with  a  production  of 
17,000  in  9  hours.  The  burr  is  then  removed  from  the  slot  by  hand,  the 
fifth  and  final  operation  being  the  shaving  of  the  rounded  end  on  a  small 
Brown  &  Sharpe  bench  machine,  consisting  solely  of  a  bed,  headstock 
and  cross-slide.  The  anvil  is  held  in  a  grip  chuck,  the  production  averag- 
ing 5,000  in  9  hours. 

The  Primer  Plug. — The  plug,  Fig.  637,  is  also  made  from  brass-rod 
stock,  but  two  main  operations  being  required.  These,  with  brief  data, 
are  as  follows: 

The  first  operation,  consisting  of  forming  the  plug,  cutting  the  circular 
groove  in  its  face  and  cutting  off  the  plug,  is  performed  on  a  No.  515 
National  Acme  automatic,  the  production  being  about  13,000  during  a 
day's  run  of  213-^  hr. 


718 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 


[Sec.  IV 


'•-^ '^^^'^-^^^  •-^^^'  -    K..-V^^^^^^  '^ 

r 

t"^^ 

I           \ 

\ 

^\i 

'iiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiM>iiiuiiiiiiiiiii||i 

Opera+ion  1 


r 

^ 

m 



\     1 

= 

J 

1 

m 

PLUG   OPEBATION    1.      FOKMING 

Machine  Used — National  Acme  automatic  No.  515. 
Special  Fixtures — Forming  tools. 
Production — 600  per  hr. 


PLUG    OPERATION   2.      DRILLING   HOLES 

Machines  Used — ^Langelier-and  Burke  bench  machines. 
Special  Fixtures — Holding  fixtures. 
Production — 350  per  hr. 


r^^^i^r 


NaSSDrin. 
0.052" 


'^  \0:02O'R. 


q-^ 


^4 


^^ 


JiftV  Spiral  of  Rod.a 
^^      lead^m-ds-fKrlnch 


*''h.0.09Z' 

High-Speed  Sleel  Dril  1  Rbd 

FIG.    638.       THE    TOOLS    USED    IN    THE    AUTOMATIC 


The  tools  are  shown  in  Fig.  638.  The  circular  groove  in  the  face  of 
the  plug  is  cut  by  the  single-lipped  tool  shown  in  Fig.  638,  which  is  rather 
interesting.  It  has  a  helix  equivalent  to  a  7-pitch  thread  cut  on  the  end, 
so  that  it  can  be  ground  back  almost  indefinitely,  as  with  a  circular 
forming  tool. 

The  second  operation  on  the  plug  is  to  drill  the  three  small  flash  holes 
in  the  fixtures  shown  in  Fig.  639.  The  operation  of  this  fixture  is  prac- 
tically identical  with  that  of  the  one  shown  in  Fig.  636,  the  same  method 


Chap.  Ill] 


MAKING  PRIMERS  FOR  CARTRIDGE  CASES 


719 


of  ejecting  the  work  being  employed  in  this  case.  The  production  is 
practically  the  same  as  with  the  anvil,  3,000  pieces  being  handled  per 
day  of  9  hours.  There  is  no  special  accuracy  required  in  the  spacing  of 
these  holes,  so  that  no  drill  bushing  is  found  necessary. 

Both  the  anvils  and  the  plugs  are  shipped  in  lots  of  about  100  lb., 
no  assembling  being  done  until  they  reach  the  loading  plant.  They  are 
boxed  in  a  substantial  manner,  no  special  packing  being  found  necessary 
to  prevent  the  threads  being  damaged  in  transit. 


FIG.    639.       DRILLING    FIXTURE    FOR   THE    PLUG 


LOADING  THE  PRIMER 

The  top  of  the  box  of  1,000  primer  bodies,  in  10  layers  of  100  each, 
is  removed  at  the  loading  factory  and  the  box  turned  upside  down  on  a 
broad  bench.  Raising  the  inverted  box  leaves  the  contents  in  a  pile, 
the  various  layers  separated  by  the  corrugated  cardboard.  The  primers 
are  then  placed  open  end  up  in  wooden  trays,  each  tray  accommodating 
50  bodies.  This  is  the  unit  in  which  they  are  handled  through  the 
various  departments. 

The  primer  bodies  are  subjected  to  a  visual  examination  for  possible 
faults,  care  being  taken  to  see  that  they  are  correct  in  every  particular 
before  the  assembling  and  loading  are  commenced. 

The  anvil  and  plugs  are  also  examined  particularly  for  the  flash 
holes,  for  if  these  are  not  clear  it  is  impossible  for  the  fire  to  reach  the 
powder  in  the  body  of  the  primer.  The  rounded  end  on  the  anvil  is 
carefully  inspected,  as  the  distance  between  this  and  the  explosive  in 
the  cap  is  of  great  importance  if  they  are  to  fire  properly. 

The  length  of  the  anvil  is  tested  in  a  simple  multiplying  device,  as 
shown  in  Fig.  640,  where  the  outer  face  of  the  anvil  rests  on  the  gage 
plate  and  the  anvil  projection  touches  the  feeler  that  actuates  the  mul- 
tiplying lever.  Two  marks  on  the  scale  give  the  maximum  and  mini- 
mum, which  in  this  case  is  0.096  to  0.098  in. 

The  holes  are  tested  by  placing  the  anvils  over  a  sheet  of  ground 
glass  having  an  incandescent  bulb  beneath,  as  in  Fig.  641.     This  throws 


720 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 


[Sec.  IV 


the  light  through  the  holes,  so  that  the  operator  can  easily  see  light 
through  the  three  holes  in  each  anvil,  even  though  they  are  drilled  at  an 
angle.     The  operator  is  partly  inclosed,  so  as  to  shut  out  bright  daylight, 

which  might  tend  to  confuse. 

In  order  to  facilitate  the  handling  of  these 
anvils  for  this  inspection  a  special  form  of  rack 
has  been  made,  as  illustrated  in  Fig.  642.  This 
is  of  light  sheet  metal  and  holds  81  anvils,  9  on 
each  side.  The  holder  is  easily  loaded  by  simply 
scattering  anvils  over  the  top.  A  little  practice 
enables  a  girl  to  fill  these  holders  very  quickly, 
and  they  are  then  passed  to  the  inspector  through 
an  opening  in  the  side  of  her  cage. 

This  holder  is  made  in  two  parts,  the  lower 
containing  81  rather  sharp  pegs  A,  which  fit 
up  inside  the  hole  of  the  anvil  and  center  the 
anvils  so  that  the  rounded  end  will  point  up- 
ward. The  lower  part  is  removed  as  soon  as 
the  holder  has  been  filled,  only  the  upper  part 
being  necessary  to  hold  the  anvils  over  the 
ground  glass  for  the  eye  test.  After  the  inspec- 
tion of  the  primer  parts  is  finished,  and  the 
percussion  caps,  which  are  shallow,  drawn  cop- 
per cups  that  have  been  partly  filled  with  the 
proper  mixture  of  explosives  and  covered  with 
a  thin  disk  of  tinfoil,  have  been  brought  to  the 
operator,  everything  is  ready  for  assembling. 

The  first  operation  is  to  put  the  caps  in 
place,  which  is  done  while  the  primer  bodies 
are  in  the  trays  previously  referred  to.  The 
caps  are  picked  up  by  a  ball  hand-spring  chuck. 
Fig.  643,  and  a  ring  of  Pettman's  cement  is 
placed  on  the  outer  edge  to  seal  the  cap  into  the 
body.  This  is  done  by  an  ingenious  little  de- 
vice seen  in  Fig.  644,  the  central  portion  being 
practically  a  hollow  tube  and  bringing  a  ring  of 
cement  up  against  the  cap  as  it  is  held  in  the 
position  shown. 

The  board  of  primer  bodies  with  the  percus- 
sion caps  in  place  goes  to  a  bench,  where  the 
anvil  is  screwed  in  by  the  little  machine  shown 
in  outline  in  Fig.  645.  This  is  a  mechanical  screwdriver,  operated  by  a 
small  pair  of  bevel  gears  and  a  handwheel,  as  shown.  The  primer  body 
is  held  under  the  screwdriver  by  the  yoke,  which  is  operated  by  a  hand 


Chap.  Ill] 


MAKING  PRIMERS  FOR  CARTRIDGE  CASES 


721 


lever  beneath  the  bench.  The  anvils  are  screwed  down  solidly  on  their 
seats;  and  as  both  the  depth  of  the  cup  and  the  projection  on  the  anvil 
have  been  previously  gaged,  there  is  practically  no  danger  of  their  making 


FIG.    641.       INSPECTING    PRIMER    ANVILS 


contact.  The  surplus  cement  is  cleaned  out  with  a  soft  stick.  The 
caps  are  all  seated  in  the  body  by  being  lightly  pounded,  using  a  soft- 
nosed  stick  for  this  purpose. 

The  assembling  fixture.  Fig.  645,  consists  primarily  of  the  frame  A 
and  the  screwdriver  spindle  B.  This 
is  driven  by  the  handwheel  at  the 
side,  through  the  bevel  gear  C.  The 
handle  D  controls  the  vertical  move- 
ment of  the  screwdriver,  which  is 
made  solid  on  the  splined  shaft  and 
is  shown  at  E.  The  primer  body  is 
held  in  position  by  the  plate  G,  which 
forms  a  guide  for  the  screwdriver 
and  is  actuated  by  the  cam  J,  shown 
beneath.  This  pulls  the  plate  G 
down  against  the  primer  body,  the 
spring  shown  releasing  it  as  soon  as 
the  cam  is  moved  in  the  opposite 
direction.  The  hardened-steel  plug 
/  in  the  base  of  the  clamping  fixture 

locates  the  proper  distance  from  the  face  of  the  primer  body  to  the 
rounded  or  outer  surface  of  the  percussion  cap  above  the  surface,  forcing 
up  the  end  of  the  cap,  should  it  be  necessary. 

46 


IIA 


iiG..  642. 


RACK    HOLDER   FOR    PRIMER 
ANVILS 


722 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 


[Sec.  IV 


The  bottom  of  the  primer  is  then  inspected  to  insure  the  caps  being 
at  the  proper  distance,  this  being  done  in  a  machine  almost  identical 
with  that  illustrated  in  Fig.  640.  Then  the  primer  bodies  are  turned  over 
in  the  tray,  and  the  small  copper  ball  is  put  into  the  anvil.  The  plug  is 
next  started  in  the  hole,  so  that  the  ball  will  not  come  out.  These  plugs 
a;re  screwed  into  place  with  a  three-prong  screw- 
driver. 

The  next  operation  is  to  close  the  metal  around 
the  plug  by  forcing  a  hollow-coned  die  over  the 
central  portion  of  the  primer  body,  closing  the 
thread  so  as  effectually  to  prevent  the  plug  from 
backing  out.  This  is  called  '' dabbing '^  and  is 
done  in  a  foot-power  press  on  the  order  of  the 
well-known  sprue  cutter.  The  operation  is  per- 
formed about  as  rapidly  as  a  man  can  handle  the 
primer,  a  production  of  probably  30  a  minute  being 
steadily  maintained.  Men  are  shifted  from  this 
to  other  and  less  laborious  work  every  two  hours, 
so  as  to  avoid  excessive  fatigue. 

The  surface  of  the  raised  portion  is  then  ce- 
mented in  a  machine  similar  to  that  seen  in  Fig. 
644,  and  a  small  paper  washer  is  put  in  place  to  prevent  the  grains  of 
powder  from  working  down  into  the  flash  holes.  This  is  also  done  very 
rapidly,  the  small  paper  washers  being  spread  on  the  bench  and  picked 
up  with  the  end  of  a  soft  wooden  stick,  which  is  occasionally  moistened 
on  a  damp  sponge. 


FIG.  643.    HAND  SPRING 
CHUCK 


PIG.    644.      THE    CEMENTER 


Loading  the  Primers  with  Powder. — The  bodies  are  now  ready  to  be 
loaded  with  the  coarse-grained  powder  that  surrounds  the  central  portion. 
This  powder  is  already  measured  in  regular  16-page  paper  shells,  which 
come  in  cases  containing  20  boxes,  each  box  holding  120  paper  shells 
and  each  shell  containing,  a  proper  load  for  the  fuse. 


Chap.  Ill] 


MAKING  PRIMERS  FOR  CARTRIDGE  CASES 


723 


The  powder  is  poured  into  the  primer  body  very  rapidly,  as  there  is 
no  danger  of  its  getting  into  the  flash  holes.  The  girls  who  do  the  loading 
become  very  expert,  and  by  using  both  hands  they  fill  a  tray  of  50  primers 
in  remarkably  short  time. 

Then  the  brass  closing  disks  are  put  in  place,  each  previously  having 
a  paper  washer  cemented  on  the  inside.  A  ring  of  cement  is  placed 
around  the  outer  edge  of  the  closing  disk,  a  brass  tube  of  the  proper 
dimension  being  used  for  this  purpose.  It  is  simply  dipped  into  the 
cement  and  placed  on  the  top  of  the  closing  disk,  which  makes  a  ring 
around  the  outer  edge.  The  sharp  edge  of  the  primer  body  is  closed  on 
the  disk  by  another  foot  press. 


FIG.    645.      ASSEMBLING   FIXTURE 


The  primer  then  goes  to  a  regular  crank  press,  which  puts  the  finish- 
ing crimp  on  the  end  and  at  the  same  time  stamps  the  proper  marking 
on  the  base  of  the  primer.  This  handles  about  9,000  primer  bodies  in 
103^  hr. 

Guarding  Against  Fire. — All  the  tables  where  powder  is  used  are 
covered  with  a  linoleum  or  rubber  pad  and  are  surrounded  by  a  water 
trough  perhaps  3  in.  wide.  All  loose  powder  is  brushed  into  the  water, 
so  as  to  avoid  any  accumulation  that  might  become  a  source  of  danger. 

The  final  inspection  is  primarily  for  the  thread  on  the  body,  in  order 
to  make  sure  that  it  has  not  become  distorted  in  any  of  the  closing  opera- 
tions. The  thread  gage  is  held  in  a  chuck  and  revolved  by  a  small 
friction  that  turns  it  in  either  direction.     Any  large  primer  body  passes 


724 


FUSES  AND  PRIMERS 


[Sec.  IV 


along  the  bench  to  the  special  vise,  Fig.  646,  which  holds  it  while  the 
hand  die  is  being  run  over  the  thread. 


FIG.    646.       SPECIAL    PRIMER  VISE 

This  vise  consists  of  a  body  A,  raised  in  the  center  and  carrying  two 
studs  that  fit  the  wrench  slot  in  the  back  of  the  primer  body.  The  two 
jaws  B  and  C  are  closed  on  the  primer  body  by 
means  of  the  handle  D  and  the  cam  E  at  the  end. 
This  pulls  the  two  jaws  toward  each  other,  the  spring 
shown  surrounding  the  central  bolt  forcing  the  jaws 
apart  as  soon  as  the  lever  is  released. 

The  completed  primers  are  lacquered  by  dipping, 
this  having  been  found  much  more  satisfactory  than 
the  spraying  process.  The  primers  are  handled  very 
rapidly,  placed  in  a  wire  basket  tray,  dipped,  lifted 
out  and  .drained,  then  placed  in  front  of  a  fan,  which 
dries  them  in  about  2  min. 
After  this  they  go  into  the  trays  once  more,  and  the  upper  side  of  the 
closing  disk  is   covered  with  Pettman's  cement.     Here  again  various 


FIG.    647.      FINAL 
TESTING   GAGE 


FIG.    648.      PACKING   BOX   FOR   PRIMERS 

more  or  less  complicated  methods  have  given  way  to  the  simple  expedient 


Chap.  Ill]  MAKING  PRIMERS  FOR  CARTRIDGE  CASES  725 

of  flooding  the  top  with  the  cement  on  the  end  of  a  small  round  brush. 
This  is  done  very  quickly  by  hand,  after  which  the  primers  are  set  aside 
to  dry  as  long  as  necessary.  The  final  gaging  is  for  the  cap  distance  from 
the  bottom,  the  form  of  gage  shown  in  Fig.  647  being  used  for  this  purpose. 
The  primer  bodies  are  then  packed  in  a  special  box  that  holds  10 
trays,  the  style  of  box  being  shown  in  Fig.  648.  It  is  open  at  the  end  to 
allow  the  trays  to  be  put  in  place  and  removed  easily,  and  is  provided 
with  four  bolts,  so  that  a  cover  can  be  readily  and  substantially  adjusted 
and  held  by  means  of  wing  nuts.  This  box  holds  the  trays  while  the 
primer  bodies  are  going  to  the  shop,  where  they  are  put  into  the  cartridge 
cases. 


APPENDIX 

Page 

Machine  Tools  for  Munition  Manufacture 729 

Composition  and  Properties  of  Shell  Steel 734 

Light  Shells 737 

Details  of  Some  Shrapnel    738 

Details  of  Some  High-Explosive  Shells    743 

British  Requirements  for  Projectile  Inspection 755 

British  Prices  for  Hand-painting  Shells 757 

Diameter  of  British  Shells  Over  Paint 757 

Weights  and  Dimensions  of  Some  British  Shells 758 

Temperatures  and  Duration  of  Heat  Treatment  for  British  Shells 759 


727 


MACHINE  TOOLS  FOR  MUNITION  MANUFACTURE^ 

The  importance  of  machine  tools  and  metal-working  machinery 
in  munition  manufacture  is  strikingly  shown  by  the  exports  of  these, 
classes  of  machines  during  the  first  two  years  of  the  great  European 
War.  Previous  to  the  outbreak  of  this  war,  the  greatest  fiscal  year  in  the 
export  history  of  the  American  machine-tool  building  industry  was 
1913  when  a  total  of  $16,097,315  worth  was  sent  abroad.  The  record 
for  the  fiscal  year  1914  is  smaller,  although  this  is  the  second  largest  year 
in  our  history  previous  to  the  European  War.  Against  these,  by  com- 
parison, modest  figures  we  must  put  the  total  for  the  fiscal  year  1915, 
$28,162,968,  and  for  the  fiscal  year  1916,  $61,315,032. 

That  is,  the  total  American  shipments  abroad  of  metal-working 
machinery  for  the  second  year  of  the  war  is  nearly  four  times  the  best 
pre-war  record  for  the  same  length  of  time. 

The  statistics  are  even  more  striking  when  we  appreciate  the  fact  that 
during  the  fiscal  year  1916  in  round  figures  $50,000,000  worth  of  the 
exports  went  to  the  allied  nations.  It  is  probable  at  this  time  of  writing 
(October,  1916)  that  the  Allies  will  take  at  least  $100,000,000  of  American 
machine  tools  to  satisfy  their  war  needs. 

The  following  table  gives  the  total  exports  of  metal-working  machine 
tools  from  the  United  States  for  the  fiscal  years  1905  to  1916  both 
inclusive: 

Exports  of  Machine  Tools  for  Twelve  Fiscal  Years 

1905 $4,332,665  1911 9,626,965 

1906 6,445,612  1912 12,151,819 

1907 9,369,056  1913 16,097,315 

1908 8,696,235  1914 14,011,359 

1909 3,640,034  1915 28,162,968 

1910 5,975,503  1916 61,315,032 

But  these  large  totals  of  the  exports  for  1915  and  1916  do  not  repre- 
sent by  any  means  the  total  of  the  great  demands  placed  upon  American 
machine-tool  builders  during  that  period.  It  is  estimated  at  the  time 
of  this  writing  that  the  total  of  the  munition  contracts  placed  in  the 
United  States  is  some  $1,600,000,000.  Much  machinery  had  to  be 
produced  to  manufacture  the  material  to  satisfy  these  huge  orders. 

It  was  but  natural  that  the  machine-tool  industry  should  be  pro- 
foundly affected  by  this  huge  volume  of  business.  The  existing  machine- 
tool  building  plants  could  not  supply  machines  fast  enough  and  many 

*  L.  P.  Alford,  Editor-in-Chief,  American  Machinist. 

729 


730  APPENDIX 

machine  firms  that  had  never  built  such  machinery  before,  turned  to  it 
in  the  emergency.  It  is  estimated  that  at  least  thirty  concerns  built 
lathes  that  had  never  made  such  a  machine  before. 

Many  machines  were  developed  especially  for  munition  manufacture. 
Of  these,  lathes  for  turning  shells  are  the  most  numerous.  In  general, 
these  war  lathes  ranged  from  18-in.  to  24-in.  in  swing  with  comparatively 
short  beds  and  no  attachments.  There  were  also  special  grinders  for 
shell  bodies  and  bases,  millers  for  surfacing  the  bases  of  shells,  drilling 
machines  for  fuse  parts,  shell  forging  and  shell  banding  presses,  shell 
marking  and  shell  painting  machines,  cutting  off  machines  for  shell 
blanks  and  copper  driving  bands,  and  special  machines  for  rifle  manu- 
facture including  particularly  barrel  finishing  machinery.  These  are 
far  too  numerous  to  be  mentioned  here  in  detail.  The  files  of  the 
American  Machinist  for  1915  and  1916  present  complete  information 
about  them. 

Many  special  outfits  of  munition  making  machines  were  designed  and 
built  and  some  of  these  are  shown  in  the  preceding  pages.  See  particu- 
larly the  turret  lathes  and  forming  lathes  used  on  3-in.  Russian  shrapnel 
(Chapter  V,  Section  I) ,  the  outfit  of  hydraulically  operated  drilling  and 
turning  machines  used  on  3-in.  Russian  high-explosive  shells  (Chapter 
IX,  Section  II) ,  and  the  outfit  of  lathes  of  most  simple  and  unusual  design 
used  on  the  British  9.2-in.  high-explosive  shells  (Chapter  VI,  Section  II). 

Furthermore,  fuse-making  machinery  has  been  developed  to  a  very 
high  degree,  by  the  use  of  semiautomatic  and  automatic  mechanism  and 
turret  and  station-type  machines. 

A  feature  of  the  design  of  many  of  the  new  machines  is  ruggedness. 
Very  large  spindles  have  been  used,  wide  belts  and  simple  constructions. 

As  a  rule,  automatic  machines  have  not  been  widely  used  on  shells  as 
the  preceding  pages  show.  On  the  other  hand,  automatics  have  been 
the  salvation  of  the  manufacturers  of  fuses,  detonators,  primers  and 
small  parts.  Many  shops  have  rigged  up  munition  manufacture  on  their 
regular  machine-shop  equipment  and  have  made  a  success  of  the  work. 

In  addition  to  the  application  of  machine-tools  to  the  specific  problems 
of  munition  manufacture  as  shown  in  the  body  of  this  volume,  the  pro- 
curing of  the  right  kind  of  machine  tools,  in  the  shortest  possible  time, 
would  be  of  the  greatest  importance  in  the  emergency  of  war  in  the  United 
States.  It  is,  therefore,  wise  to  analyze  some  of  the  broader  events  of 
the  past  two  years  in  the  machine-tool  industry. 

Although  there  has  been  some  scattered  buying,  the  greater  number 
of  the  machine  tools  exported  from  the  United  States  have  been  taken 
by  Great  Britain,  France  and  Russia.  Exports  have  been  cut  off  from 
Germany  and  Austria,  while  the  Scandinavian  countries,  Holland  and 
Italy  have  increased  their  buying  much  beyond  the  normal  amount. 
But  little  is  known  in  this  country  of  the  method  that  Germany  has 


APPENDIX  731 

employed  to  build  and  maintain  the  machine  tools  necessary  to  produce 
her  munitions  of  war.  On  the  other  hand,  there  is  considerable  infor- 
mation available  in  regard  to  the  methods  employed  by  Great  Britain 
and  France.  Thus  it  is  with  the  experiences  of  these  latter-named 
countries,  that  we  are  at  the  present  moment  concerned.  From  their 
methods  we  can  formulate  the  principles  of  action  to  govern  the  design, 
purchase,  production  and  distribution  of  machine  tools  in  preparing  for 
a  national  emergency  of  war. 

The  events  of  the  past  26  months  justified  the  statement  that  the 
machinery-building  industry  is  the  backbone  of  any  defensive  or  offen- 
sive warfare  at  the  present  day.  This  statement  emphasized  anew  the 
need  of  carefully  considering  machine  tools  in  any  plan  for  industrial 
preparedness. 

The  machine  tools  shipped  abroad  within  the  past  26  months  analyze 
into  three  general  classes :  First,  simple,  plain  machines  that  were  either 
standard  with  certain  manufacturers  before  the  outbreak  of  war  or  have 
been  designed  and  built  under  the  stress  of  the  tremendous  foreign 
demand;  second,  regular  machine  tools  of  a  more  highly  organized  grade, 
particularly  automatic  machines  that  were  the  standard  product  of  some 
manufacturers  prior  to  the  outbreak  of  war;  third,  special  machine  tools 
developed  for  some  operation  or  series  of  operations  in  the  manufacture 
of  some  particular  detail  of  munitions.  These  group  into  (a)  lathes 
for  the  outside  turning  of  shells;  (b)  lathes  for  boring  shells;  (c)  lathes 
for  waving,  grooving  and  undercutting  shells.  The  first  class  comprises 
by  far  the  greater  volume  of  the  exports,  and  simple  lathes  are  the  pre- 
dominating machines.  In  like  manner,  lathes  predominate  in  the  third 
class. 

The  methods  adopted  by  Great  Britain,  France  and  Russia  in  buying 
these  machine  tools  need  brief  consideration.  The  early  orders  were 
placed  by  European  machine-tool  agents  who  had  handled  American 
machine  tools  for  years.  Their  knowledge  of  the  business  gave  them  the 
first  entrance  into  the  field. 

These  dealers'  contracts  were  followed  by  others  given  by  special 
agents  or  government  commissions  who  came  over  to  this  country  during 
the  first  year  of  the  war.  These  orders  brought  about  a  condition  of 
scarcity  of  machine  tools  in  the  United  States  and  at  the  same  time  filled 
all  the  regular  machine-tool  building  plants  with  such  a  volume  of  busi- 
ness that  deliveries  in  many  cases  have  been  seriously  delayed.  The 
third  class  of  buying  has  been  by  government  commissions  in  shops 
making  high-grade  machinery  other  than  machine  tools,  as  printing 
presses  and  wood-working  machinery,  and  in  general  have  been  for  ma- 
chines of  the  third  class  previously  mentioned.  Their  buying  has  been 
most  ably  managed,  and  the  results  of  their  work  have  been  more  uni- 
formly successful  and  satisfactory  than  that  of  any  of  the  private  buyers. 


732  APPENDIX 

The  private  buying — that  is,  the  buying  done  by  machine-tool  dealers 
— can  be  roughly  divided  into  three  periods.  During  the  first  period 
simple  lathes  and  turret  machines  were  bought  almost  exclusively. 
The  demand  during  the  second  period  was  for  grinders,  drilling  machines 
and  millers.  The  demand  during  the  third  period  was  for  planers, 
shapers  and  toolroom  machinery. 

After  learning  from  the  hard  school  of  experience  it  is  now  realized 
that  toolroom  machinery  should  have  been  bought  during  the  first  period. 
The  reason  is  obvious,  for  such  machines  are  needed  to  produce  the  jigs, 
fixture  and  gages  that  are  the  necessary  accompaniment  of  machine 
tools  for  duplicate  production. 

In  case  of  war  with  a  first-class  power,  the  United  States  would  un- 
questionably need  to  add  an  enormous  number  of  machine  tools  to  the 
present  equipment  of  her  machine  shops.  Based  on  the  record  of  the 
years  immediately  preceding  the  outbreak  of  the  war,  the  normal  sur- 
plus of  machine-tool  production  of  the  United  States  as  represented  by 
the  amount  shipped  abroad,  has  a  value  of  about  $15,000,000.  This 
supply  would  naturally  be  kept  at  home,  but  in  addition  thereto,  and  in 
addition  to  the  increase  of  machines  that  would  be  turned  out  by  our 
own  manufacturers  under  war  conditions,  we  would  have  to  draw  from 
the  industrial  nations  of  Europe,  provided  we  were  not  involved  in  a 
European  war.  This  buying  would  have  to  be  done  by  some  organiza- 
tion not  now  in  existence,  for  the  reason  that  there  are  only  a  few  agen- 
cies in  this  country  that  market  European  machine  tools  here. 

Thus  the  European  buying  for  the  United  States  would  have  to  be 
placed  in  the  hands  of  experienced  men,  perhaps  civilians  representing 
both  builders  and  users.  The  present  British  Ministry  of  Munitions 
with  its  subcommittees  might  well  form  a  model  for  the  American  organi- 
zation charged  with  the  duty  of  buying  machinery  abroad.  There  are 
facts  that  tend  to  prove  that  the  work  done  by  the  British  commission 
has  been  most  efficiently  handled  and  has  brought  excellent  results. 
This  is  an  experience  well  worth  careful  weighing. 

One  of  the  early  acts  of  the  British  Ministry  of  Munitions  was  the 
prohibition  of  the  importation  of  machine  tools  into  Great  Britain,  ex- 
cept under  license  of  the  ministry.  A  number  of  reasons  led  up  to  this 
decision.  Among  them  are  the  necessity  of  suppressing  speculative 
buying  and  selling,  controlling  the  kinds  of  machine  tools  bought  abroad, 
the  effective  utilizing  of  ocean-borne  freight,  the  distributing  of  machine 
tools  in  a  manner  to  best  further  the  manufacture  of  munitions  and  the 
control  of  quality. 

But  little  is  known  of  the  conditions  that  have  surrounded  the  ma- 
chine-tool industry  in  Germany  during  the  war.  However,  at  the  out- 
break of  war  edicts  of  the  Ministry  of  War  placed  a  prohibition  upon  the 
exportation  of  machine  tools  as  one  of  the  items  in  a  list  of  articles  that 


APPENDIX  733 

might  be  of  value  to  the  enemy.  As  the  war  progressed,  the  ministry 
formed  two  committees — one  the  War  Raw-Materials  Committee  and  the 
other  the  Industrial  Committee.  These  committees  have  controlled 
the  machine-tool  building  industry  as  well  as  other  German  industries. 
They  have  directed  what  machines  should  be  built,  where  they  should 
be  built,  have  handled  the  supplies  of  raw  materials  for  machinery 
building  and  have  arranged  for  the  distribution  of  the  new  machines 
as  well  as  other  machines  that  could  be  released  from  their  regular 
employment. 

It  is  reported  that  France  mobilized  the  machine  tools  of  the  Republic 
as  one  of  the  early  war  measures.  The  purpose  was  to  bring  together 
the  machine-tool  equipment  into  units  of  such  a  size  that  manufacturing 
could  be  carried  forward  expeditiously  and  efficiently. 

Thus  from  the  experience  of  Great  Britain,  Germany  and  France, 
the  necessity  of  controlling  the  supply  and  distribution  of  machine  tools 
is  evident  in  case  of  war  between  first-class  powers. 

No  exact  estimate  can  be  given  of  the  number  of  machine  tools  that 
might  be  immediately  available  in  Germany  in  case  there  should  be  an 
emergency  demand  from  the  United  States.  A  careful  estimate  for 
Great  Britain,  however,  is  that  under  normal  conditions  there  are  some 
1,200  to  1,500  lathes  in  the  stocks  of  dealers  and  builders  at  any  normal 
time.  In  any  event  it  is  fair  to  assume  that  the  stock  of  machine  tools 
in  the  possession  of  dealers  and  builders  in  Europe  would  not  be  very 
great  and  in  fact  would  be  a  very  small  factor  in  the  number  that  we 
should  be  likely  to  need.  Accepting  this  situation  as  a  starting  point, 
a  decision  can  be  made  as  to  whether  the  United  States  should  buy 
standard  machines  regularly  manufactured  abroad  or  order  special 
machines  particularly  adapted  to  our  own  needs.  It  is  conceivable  that 
it  might  be  much  better  to  have  machines  built  to  our  own  drawings  and 
specifications  than  to  attempt  to  use  the  regular  products  of  European 
builders. 

It  is  estimated  on  reliable  authority  that  plain  lathes  of  say,  16  to 
24  inches  in  swing,  could  begin  to  be  shipped  from  British  machine  shops 
in  12  weeks  from  the  receipt  of  detailed  drawings  of  their  parts  and  de- 
tailed specifications  for  their  manufacture.  Not  only  could  they  be 
procured  in  this  time  from  machine-tool  building  shops,  but  also  from 
other  machine  shops  accustomed  to  doing  high-grade  work.  Broadly 
speaking,  any  machine  shops"  that  are  accustomed  to  do  accurate  planing 
and  scraping  can  build  machine  tools  under  the  conditions  of  demand 
such  as  have  existed  in  the  United  States  during  the  first  26  months  of 
the  European  war. 

Machine  tools  should  be  standardized  for  munition  manufacture, 
and  because  of  the  small  stocks  of  machine  tools  in  Europe,  it  is  evident 
that  not  many  could  be  obtained  during  the  brief  period  of  waiting  for 


734  APPENDIX 

American  standardized  construction  to  be  produced.  It  is  of  course 
possible  that  the  essential  standardized  details  could  be  reduced  to  a 
minimum,  with  the  insistence  that  these  should  be  incorporated  in  the 
regular  designs  of  European  builders.  In  this  way  the  essential  needs  of 
uniformity  with  American  products  would  be  met,  and  it  is  possible  that 
a  certain  amount  of  time  could  be  saved  over  the  estimates  just  given. 
From  the  experience  of  the  AUied  nations  in  purchasing  machine 
tools  during  the  past  26  months  it  seems  justifiable  to  lay  down  the  follow- 
ing principles  for  the  standardization  and  procurement  of  machine  tools 
in  organizing  for  American  industrial  preparedness. 

1.  Organize  at  once  in  skeleton  form  an  industrial  committee  of  the  Council 
of  National  Defense  to  control  the  standardization,  design  and  preparation  of  machine 
tools  for  the  production  of  American  munitions. 

2.  Through  joint  action  of  this  committee,  the  American  Society  of  Mechanical 
Engineers  and  the  National  Machine  Tool  Builders  Association  standardize  the  details 
of  regular  machine  tools  and  design  whatever  additional  special  machine  tools  may  be 
necessary  for  the  rapid  and  economical  production  of  American  munitions. 

3.  Immediately  on  the  outbreak  of  war  prohibit  the  exportation  of  any  machine 
tools  from  the  United  States. 

4.  Immediately  on  the  outbreak  of  war  prohibit  the  importation  of  any  machine 
tools  into  the  United  States  except  under  license  and  control  of  the  committee  men- 
tioned under  1. 

5.  Order  all  machines  abroad  through  this  committee  or  its  representatives  in  the 
capitals  of  Europe  and  intrust  these  men  with  the  responsibility  of  securing  the 
desired  deliveries  and  quality. 

6.  Order  no  machine  tools  abroad  except  to  standardized  American  designs 
either  for  the  complete  machine  or  the  essential  details,  as  the  committee  may 
determine. 

COMPOSITION   AND   PROPERTIES    OF   SHELL   STEEL^ 

The  importance  of  uniformity  in  the  chemical  composition  of  the 
steel  used  in  shell  making  is  a  question  which  would  appear  to  be  viewed 
from  varying  angles  by  different  nations.  The  British  specifications,  in 
particular,  are  exacting  in  their  requirements  and  unquestionably  pro- 
hibit the  use  of  much  steel  of  satisfactory  physical  properties.  The 
French  Government  demands  exceedingly  severe  hydraulic  pressure  tests 
and  places  importance  upon  the  ballastic  properties  of  the  shell — as  is 
evidenced  by  the  test  for  the  eccentricity  of  the  center  of  gravity 
described  in  the  chapter  devoted  to  the  manufacture  of  French  120-mm. 
high-explosive  shells. 

Notwithstanding  the  rigid  chemical  specifications  of  the  British 
Government,  the  subsequent  physical  tests  to  which  every  batch  of 
British  shells  are  subjected  are  more  exacting  than  the  French  hydraulic 
pressure  test.  The  accepted  British  shell,  and  to  almost  the  same  degree 
the  Russian  shell,  must  be  made  of  a  particular  and  comparatively  uni- 

1  Reginald  Trautschold. 


APPENDIX 


735 


form  grade  of  steel  and,  in  addition,  must  possess  certain  physical  proper- 
ties. The  French  shell,  on  the  other  hand,  while  it  must  possess  certain 
physical  properties,  supplemented  by  exacting  requirements  in  the  matter 
of  distribution  of  weight,  may  vary  to  some  extent  in  chemical  com- 
position; the  sole  object  being  apparently  to  produce  a  shell  which  will 
have  the  necessary  physical  properties,  irrespective  of  composition. 

In  connection  with  this  question  of  composition  of  shell  steel,  it  is 
interesting  to  note  the  results  of  chemical  analyses  of  21  high-explosive 
German  shells,  published  by  Dr.  J.  E.  Stead  in  ''The  Engineer,"  Jan. 
14,  1916.  These  analyses,  given  in  Table  I,  were  made  from  fragments 
of  exploded  German  shells  found  on  the  field  of  battle — not  selected 
samples — shells  which  had  proved  satisfactory  in  their  destructive  mission 
and  doubtless  illustrate  general  German  practice. 


Table   I.— 

-Elements   Found 

IN   21    German   High-Explosive   Shells 

C. 

Mn 

Si. 

s. 

P. 

Cu. 

N. 

Tenacity. 

Per  cent. 

Per  cent. 

Per  cent. 

Per  cent. 

Per  cent. 

Per  cent. 

Per  cent. 

1 

0.600 

0.730 

— 

0.062 

0.085 

— 

— 

— 

2 

0.700 

0.800 

0.350 

0.027 

0.043 

— 

55 

3 

0.670 

0.515 

0.336 

0.037 

•0.048 

0.083 

— 

62 

4 

0.870 

1.094 

0.252 

0.037 

0.028 

0.080 

— 

65 

5 

0.465 

0.794 

0.324 

0.038 

0.028 

0.090 

— 

55 

6 

0.600 

0.655 

0.597 

0.046 

0.051 

— 

— 

— 

7 

0.820 

1.266 

0.186 

0.048 

0.052 

— 

— 

— 

8 

0.765 

0.655 

0.364 

0.030 

.0.045 

— 

— 

— 

9 

0.630 

0.550 

0.400 

0.042 

0.077 

— 

— 

— 

10 

0.860 

1.030 

0.186 

0.053 

0.045 

— 

— . 

— : 

11 

1.120 

1.000 

0.230 

0.054 

0.038 

— 

— 



12 

0.850 

1.330 

— 

0.080 

0.105 

— 

— 

— 

13 

0.600 

1.210 

0.334 

0.071 

0.069 

— 

0.0112 

59 

14 

0.740 

1.170 

0.261 

0.044 

0.064 

— 

— 

62 

15 

0.675 

0.380 

0.078 

0.083 

0.043 

— 

— 

— 

16 

0.700 

1.108 

0.221 

0.041 

0.079 

— 

— 



17 

0.980 

1.050 

— 

0.055 

0.086 

— 

— 

— _ 

18 

0.930 

0.980 

— 

0.059 

0.065 

— . 

— 



19 

0.740 

0.980 

— 

0.054 

0.050 

— 

— 

— 

20 

0.393 

1.400 

0.210 

0.035 

0.041 

— 

— 

— 

21 

0.930 

0.970 

0.164 

0.032 

0.048 

— 

— 

— 

Most  of  these  German  shell  fragments  were  small,  and  the  fractures 
generally  indicated  material  of  very  high  tenacity.  The  analyses  show 
a  variation  of  285  per  cent,  in  carbon  content,  368  per  cent,  in  manganese, 
766  per  cent,  in  silicon,  307  in  sulphur  and  375  per  cent,  in  the  propor- 
tion of  phosphorus.  Quite  obviously  no  exacting  chemical  requirements 
are  imposed  by  the  Germans,  for  shell  material  high  in  sulphur  and  phos- 
phorus was  sometimes  comparatively  high  in  manganese  and  carbon  and 


736 


APPENDIX 


at  others  the  proportions  of  these  elements  was  comparatively  low.  No 
apparent  relationship  exists  in  the  proportions  of  the  various  elements, 
as  is  strikingly  shown  in  the  graphic  presentation  of  Table  I  given  as 
Chart  I.  Furthermore,  there  is  no  reason  to  assume  that  the  analyses 
made  depict  in  any  way  extremes  in  German  practice.  They  indubitably 
show  the  usual  variation  in  the  chemical  composition  of  German  shell 
steel. 

The  German  shells  analyzed  were  successfully  fired  and,  presumably, 
were  just  as  destructive  as  it  is  possible  to  make  shells,  yet  many  of  them 
would  have  failed  to  pass  the  British  specifications,  as  well  as  those  of 
many  other  nations.     That  they  were  successfully  fired  proves  that  they 


Chart  I. — Variations  in  the  Composition  of  German  High-Explosive  Shell 

Steel 

5.0 


2.5 


2.0 

1- 
z 

UJ 

o 

a:  1-5 

UJ 


1.0 


0.5 


I  I  1.  ^  I  i 

Carbon         Manganese    Sulphur        Phosphorus  Silicon         Copper         Nitrogen 


1      2     3     4     5     6 


7     8     9   •  10     11      12    13     14     16'    16     17     18     19    20    21 
SMELL  NUMBER  PER  TABLE  I. 


would  have'  passed  some  such  physical  examination  as  the  French 
Hydraulic  pressure  test,  and  it  is  probable  that  some  such  test  was  made. 
The  French  test  may  be  exacting,  probably  is,  but  it  would  appear  to 
be  the  logical  test,  that  which  definitely  establishes  the  availability  of 
the  shell. 

The  chemical  composition  of  steel  indicates  what  physical  properties 
may  be  expected  but  these  must  invariably  be  confirmed  by  actual 
physical  tests.  Tests  on  pieces  cut  from  specified  sections  of  a  shell  are 
of  interest,  but  must  fail  to  establish  conclusive  proof  of  uniformity  of 
strength.  The  hydraulic  pressure  test,  on  the  other  hand,  does  establish 
uniformity  of  strength  and  quite  obviously  is  much  more  easily  performed 


APPENDIX  737 

than  examinations  necessitating  the  cutting  of  test  pieces  from  sample 
shells  and  subjecting  these  to  the  various  required  tests. 

Physical  tests  alone  can  show  up  the  defects  of  a  shell,  for  the  strains 
to  which  the  shell  is  subjected  are  all  physical  and  their  destructive 
capabilities  are  also  governed  by  their  physical  properties.  It  would 
then  seem  that  some  such  test  as  the  French  hydrauHc  pressure  test  could 
profitably  be  incorporated  in  the  specifications  of  all  nations  and  only 
such  test  required,  as  chemical  tests  are  of  value  merely  in  indicating 
what  would  be  the  result  of  the  physical  test.  The  abolishment  of  the 
chemical  requirements  for  the  steel  stock  would  also  have  the  very 
desirable  result  of  making  available  much  steel  which  is  at  present  barred 
from  use  by  limitations  in  the  allowable  percentage  of  certain  component 
elements.  Particularly  is  this  true  in  regard  to  the  presence  of  sulphur 
and  phosphorus. 

LIGHT  SHELLS 

The  exacting  requirements  and  small  tolerances  common  to  shell 
specifications  have  resulted  in  manufacturers  working  to  the  high  limits 
rather  than  running  the  danger  of  shell  rejection  on  account  of  Hghtness. 
A  heavy  shell  can  nearly  always  be  brought  down  to  weight  but  a  shell 
which  is  deficient  in  weight  has  usually  to  be  scrapped.  With  a  tolerance 
in  weight  of  but  1  per  cent,  or  so,  a  light  shell  is  apt  to  represent  a  dead 
loss  to  the  manufacturer  for  the  use  of  lead  or  any  lead  compound,  the 
obvious  remedy  for  a  shell  but  slightly  under  weight,  is  absolutely 
prohibited  on  account  of  the  formation  of  the  destructive  compound, 
picrate  of  lead,  in  the  loaded  shell. 

The  French  Government,  realizing  that  production  would  be  stimu- 
lated if  it  were  possible  to  make  use  of  the  few  shells  which  even  with 
the  greatest  manufacturing  care  are  slightly  lacking  in  weight,  permits 
a  certain  number  to  be  brought  up  to  weight  by  tinning  on  the  inside. 

This  is  done  by  pickling  the  inside  of  the  shell  with  a  solution  of 
sulphuric  acid — one  part  acid  to  ten  parts  water — for  about  two  hours. 
The  shell  is  then  thoroughly  washed  and  afterward  filled  with  muriatic 
acid.  This  acid  is  allowed  to  remain  in  the  shell]  for  about  10  min., 
after  which  the  outside  of  the  shell  is  covered  with  vaseline  and  the  shell 
immersed  in  a  bath  of  molten  tin.  The  first  dipping  has  little  effect 
but  the  second  will  add  some  20  to  25  grams  to  the  weight  of  a  120-mm. 
shell. 

The  shell  is  then  partly  filled  with  this  molten  tin,  an  aluminum  plug 
screwed  into  the  nose  and  the  shell  inverted.  The  tin  cools  about  the 
plug  and  the  nose  can  be  bored  out,  leaving  a  sufficient  amount  of  tin  on 
the  inside  to  give  the  required  weight.  But  5  per  cent,  of  the  shells 
in  any  one  shipment,  however,  may  be  so  tinned. 

47 


738 


APPENDIX 


DETAILS  OF  SOME  SHRAPNEL 


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APPENDIX 


739 


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740 


APPENDIX 


APPENDIX 


741 


742 


APPENDIX 


APPENDIX 


743 


DETAILS  OF  SOME  HIGH-EXPLOSIVE  SHELLS 


6crs  check  musf  be  a  iighi  fif  in  ihe  shell  and 
musi  be  sef  home  soos  lo  require  greal  force 
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FIG.    656.       RUSSIAN    1-LB.    HIGH-EXPLOSIVE    SHELL 


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FIG.    657.      RUSSIAN   3-IN.    HIGH-EXPLOSIVE    SHELL 


744 


APPENDIX 


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APPENDIX 


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FIG.    660.       FRENCH    120-MM.    HIGH-EXPLOSIVE    SHELL 


746 


APPENDIX 


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APPENDIX 


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750 


APPENDIX 


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H.4.9 
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H.49.07_ l_J..... J 

LMZS'  /I    /  ,^     -  n 

WeiqhfofS'fuq  mOlb.  ;      ^"^ '^-^^  ' "H 

Diameter  of  5/ug  15m.  |<-.r-|/ 11.81 ->l 

Length  of  5lug  43 in.  \ — >    f 

FIG.    6G8.       BRITISH    15-IN.    HIGH-EXPLOSIVE   HOWITZER  SHELL 


48 


754 


APPENDIX 


14"- 


Weight  of  5/uqZ900/b.  Joo^t  ■' 
Diameter  of  S/ug  I5in:  ^J^^-'y 
Length  of  5/uq  58 in.  \/    \" 


igth  of  Slug . 

HM97" 
2.60.93'' 


/S.S/ 

-2Z0I"- 


■A 


FIG.    669.      BRITISH    15-IN.    HIGH-EXPLOSIVE    GUN   SHELL 


APPENDIX 

British  Requirements  for  Projectile  Inspection 


755 


Type 


Number  to  be  inspected  per  man 


Per  hour 

Per  week 

1,080 

15.00 

720 

15.00 

720 

18.00 

864 

9.00 

.... 

21.00 

1,008 

12.00 

576 

16.00 

768 

8.00 

384 

18.00 

864 

15.00 

720 

15.00 

720 

12.00 

576 

9.00 

432 

8.00 

384 

8.75 

420 

8.00 

384 

8.00 

384 

8.25 

398 

7.50 

380 

6.30 

312 

6.00 

288 

8.50 

408 

7.75 

372 

7.00 

336 

6.25 

300 

8.75 

420 

7.75 

372 

6.50 

312 

6.00 

288 

8.50 

408 

8.00 

384 

5.50 

264 

5.00 

240 

7.60 

360 

7.00 

336 

5.00 

240 

4.50 

216 

6.50 

312 

6.00   ^ 

288 

2-in.  practice  shot 

2  Pr.  Tracers 

3Pr.  Shells 

Annealed 

With  tracers 

Shot 

6  Pr.  Shells 

Annealed 

With  tracers 

Shot 

With  tracers 

12  &  14Prs.   X  2.75-in 

Shot 

Shot  with  tracers 

15  &  12  Prs.   X  2.95-in 

12  &  14  Prs.   X  2.75-in.  shells 
15  &  12  Prs.  X  3-in 

Shrapnel  with  tracers 

13  Pr.  Shell 

With  tracers 

3-in.  High-Explosive 

18  Pr.  Shell 

With  tracers 

4-in.  Shell.. 

With  tracers 

Shot 

With  tracers 

4.5-in.  Shell 

With  tracers 

Shot 

With  tracers 

4.7-in.  Shell 

With  tracers 

Shot. 

With  tracers 

5-in.  Shell 

With  tracers 

Shot 

With  tracers 

6-in.  SheU 

With  tracers 

Shot 

With  tracers 


756  APPENDIX 

British  Requirements  for  Projectile  Inspection — {Continued) 


Type 

Number  to  be  inspected  per  man 

Per  hour 

Per  week 

7  5-in   Shell            

3.50 
3.25 
4.50 
4.00 
1.00 
0.85 
2.25 
2.00 
0.85 
.66 
1.16 
1.00 
0.75 

.625 
1.00 
.85 
0.625 
.50 
.85 
.75 
0.50 
.40 
.75 
.625 
.35 
.30 
.50 
.40 

168 

With  tracers 

158 

Shot 

216 

With  tracers     ■ 

192 

9  25-iii.  Shell 

■    48 

With  tracers 

40 

Shot 

105 

With  tracers 

96 

10-in   Shell       

40 

With  tracers 

32 

Shot      . 

56 

W^ith  tracers                       

48 

12-in.  H.  Shell 

36 

W^ith  tracers       

30 

Shot .  .  . 

48 

With  tracers 

40 

13  5-in   I  Shell                              .              

30 

With  tracers 

25 

Shot 

40 

With  tracers 

36 

13  5-in.  Shell 

24 

W^ith  tracers                                            

20 

Shot 

36 

With  tracers 

30 

15-in.  Shell 

17 

With  tracers 

15 

Shot 

24 

With  tracers 

20 

APPENDIX 


757 


British  Prices  for  Painting  Shells 
Hand  Painting  Per  100 


Type 

Unstacking 
cleaning 
1st  coat 
2d  coat 
stacking 

Unloading 

Loading 

Stencilling 

calibre  and 

numeral 

Red  tip 

s       d 

$ 

8     d 

$ 

8       d 

$ 

8d 

$ 

s     d 

$ 

2.75-in.  Shrap 

3.10 

0.92 

7.25 

0.145 

6.125 

0.1225 

8 

0.16 

9.25 

0.185 

15-lb.  Shrap 

4.   3 

1.02 

7.25 

0.145 

6.125 

0.1225 

8 

0.16 

9.25 

0.185 

18-lb.  Shrap 

4.   7 

1.10 

7.25 

0.145 

6.125 

0.1225 

8 

0.16 

9.25 

0.185 

4.5-in.  Shrap 

7.   9 

1.86 

1-0.25 

0.245 

1-0.25 

0.245 

9 

0.18 

10.25 

0.205 

60-lb.  Shrap 

9.   2 

2.20 

1-3.25 

0.305 

1-0.25 

0.245 

9 

0.18 

1.1.25 

0.265 

12  &  14  Pr.  H.  E.. 

4.   9 

1.14 

7.25 

0.145 

6.125 

0.1225 

8 

0.18 

18-lb.  H.E 

4.   7 

1.10 

7.25 

0.145 

6.125 

0.1225 

8 

0.18 

4.5-in.  H.  E 

7.   9 

1.86 

1-0.25 

0.245 

1-0.25 

0.245 

9 

0.18 

60-lb.  H.E 

9.   2 

2.20 

1-3.25 

0.305 

1-0.25 

0.245 

9 

0.18 

6-in.  H.  E 

11.   8.75 

2.815 

2-6.50 

0.610 

2-0.50 

0.490 

9 

0.18 

8-in.  H.  E 

17.  4.5 

4.13 

5-1.25 

1.225 

5-1.25 

1.225 

1.3 

0.30 

9.2-in.  H.  E 

25.   0 

6.00 

12-9 

3.06 

12-9 

3.06 

1.3 

0.30 

Notes. — In  the  case  of  9.2-in.  and  8-in.  high-explosive  shells  no  stacking  is  done,  except  under 
exceptional  circumstances,  but  prices  are  paid  for  "Rolling  during  operation"  and  "Rolling  after 
operation"  which  are  included  in  the  above. 

One  penny  is  assumed  to  be  equivalent  to  two  cents. 


Diameter  of  British  Shells  over  Paint 

Calibre 

Diameter 

Calibre 

Diameter 

13^  &  l-Pdr 

1.453-in. 
1.571-in. 
1.846-in. 

2.240-in. 

2.740-in. 

2.951-in. 
2.990-in. 
2.990-in. 

2.995-in. 

3.295-in. 

3.980-in. 

4.5-in. 
4.7-in. 
60-Pdr.  1 
5-in.        f 
80-Pdr.  \ 
6-in.       J 

7. 5-in. 

8-in. 

9.45-in. 

9.2-in. 

10-in. 

12-in. 

13. 5-in. 

14-in. 
15-in. 

4.490-in. 

2-Pdr 

4.709-in. 

3-Pdr 

6-Pdr 

4.980-in. 

10-Pdr.    1 

5.980-in. 
7.480-in. 

2.75-in.    J   

2.95-in 

7.980-in. 

12  &  14-Pdr 

9.430-in. 

15-Pdr 

9 .  180-in. 

13-Pdr.  \ 

9 .  980-in. 

3-in.       j   

18-Pdr 

11.980-in. 

30-Pdr.  \ 

13.480-in. 

4-in.       J   

13. 980-in. 
14.980-in. 

758 


APPENDIX 


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APPENDIX 


769 


Chart  II. — Temperatures  and  Duration  of  Heat  Treatment  for  British  Shells 


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INDEX 


Adapters    for    British    detonating    fuse, 
651-659 
assembling,  654 
lacquering,  658 

manufacturing  processes  and  equip- 
ment, 653-659 
operation  data,  651-652 
painting  the  ''Red  Spot"  and  pack- 
ing, 659 
Amalgamated  corporation  lathes,  392-395 
American  Brake  Shoe  and  Foundry  Co., 

389-391 
American  Locomotive  Co.,  555 
American  Multigraph  Co.,  705 
American  Steam  Gauge  and  Valve  Manu- 
facturing Co.,  625 
Analysis  of  machine  tool  exports,  731 
Automatic  production  of  shrapnel  parts, 
203-220 

B 

Base-plates  for  high-explosive  shells,  247- 
250 
forging  operations,  248 
inspection,  249 

restricting  imperfect  work,  250 
Brass,  cartridge,  517-528 
Brass  casting  shop    (see   Casting  shop), 

519-525 
Brass  furnace  equipment,  518 
Brass,  tensile  strength,  593 
British  cartridge  case  (see  Cartridge  ca^e), 
555-620 
detonator  Mark  IV  (see  Detonator), 

625-650 
detonator  fuse  adapters  (see  Adap- 
ters), 651-659 
high-explosive     shells     (see     High- 
explosive  shells),  251-411 
prices  for  painting  shells,  757 
requirements  for  projectile  inspec- 
tion, 755-756 
shrapnel  (see  Shrapnel),  8-196 
time   fuse    mark   80-44    (see    Time 
fuse),  660-683 


Canadian  AUis-Chalmers  Co.,  312 
Canadian  Car  and  Foundry  Co.,  26 
Canadian  Car  and  Foundry  Co.  Domin- 
ion Works,  242 
Canadian  Ingersoll-Rand  Co.,  31 
Canadian  Pacific  Angus  Shops,  577 
Canadian  Steel  Foundries,  Ltd.,  236 
Caps  and  base  plugs  for  time  fuse  (see 

Timefuse),  683-694 
Cartridge  brass,  517-528 

manufacturing  processes  and  equip- 
ment, 525-528 
specifications,  517 
Cartridge  brass,  rolling,  528-535 
annealing,  first,  533 

final,  534 
overhauling,  532 
pickling,  534 
rolling  operation,  first,  529 

second,  534 
running  down,  533 
straightening  bars,  530 
Cartridge  cases,  536-554 

manufacturing  processes  and  equip- 
ment, 543-554 
operation  data,  537-543 
requirements,  536 
Cartridge  cases,  drawing  British  18  lb., 
577-594 
annealing  and  semi-annealing,  584 
bulldozers,  582 
heading  operation,  590 
heading  press,  800-ton,  587 
hydraulic  accumulators,  592 
indenting   and   heading   operations, 

587 
inspecting  and  testing,  592 
manufacturing  processes  and  equip- 
ment, 579-593 
planers,  582 
pressing  taper,  585 
prices    on    handling   and   washing, 

594 
prices  on  machine  operations,  594 
schedule  of  operations,  577 


761 


762 


INDEX 


Cartridge  cases,  making  British  18  lb., 
555-577 

chemical  composition,  555 

hardness,  676 

manufacturing  processes  and  equip- 
ment, 565-576 

operation  data,  555-564 

weights,  577 
Cartridge  cases,  British  4.5-in.  howitzer, 
595-620 

chemical  composition,  595-596 

manufacturing  processes  and  equip- 
ment, 603-620 

operation  data,  596-603 
Casting  shop  (brass),  519-525 

crucibles,  523 

fluxes,  524 

fuel,  520 

furnace,  519 

layout  and  equipment,  519 

molds,  520 

scraproom,  525 

tool  equipment,  522 
Composition    and    properties    of    shell 
steel,  734-737 

D 

Detonator  fuse,  623-625 
Detonator,  British  Mark-100,  625-650 
centrifugal  bolt,  637 
chemical  composition,  625 
detents,  643 

detent-hole  screw  plug,  637 
fuse  cap,  644 
fuse  spring,  649,  650 
manufacturing  processes  and  equip- 
ment, 625-650 
needles,  650 

percussion  detonator  plug,  638 
percussion  needle  plug,  639 
percussion  pellet,  641 
working  parts,  635 
Diameter  of  British  shells  over  paint,  757 
Dimensions  of  British  shells,  758 
Dominion  Bridge  Co.,  222,  251 
Drive  band,  British  18-lb.  high -explosive 
shell,  298-301 
18-lb.  shrapnel,  59 
4.5-in.   high-explosive  shell,   358, 

361 
8-in.  howitzer  shell,  378 
9.2-in.  Mark  IV  howitzer  shell,  395 
12-in.  Mark  IV  howitzer  shell,  410 


Drive  band,   French  120-mm.  explosive 
shell,  510 
Russian    1-lb.    high-explosive   shell, 
425 
3-in.  high-explosive  shell,  458 
Serbian  120-mm.  shell,  487-488 


E 


East  Jersey  drilling  machine,  444 
East  Jersey  Pipe  Corporation,  442 
East  Jersey  turning  machine,  446 
Eccentricity  test,  French  120-mm.  explo- 
sive shell,  512 
Explosives  used  for  high-explosive  shells, 

233 
Exports  of  machine  tools,  729 


Forging  base   plates  for  high-explosive 
shells,  242 
blanks,  high-explosive  shell,  236-242 
4.5-in.    British   high-explosive   shell 

blanks,  242-247 
operations,    British    18-lb.    shrapnel 
blanks,  13,  17 
French  75-mm.  shrapnel,  6 

120-mm.  explosive  shell  (see  High- 
explosive  shells),  494-514 
Fuse  and  charge  for  high-explosive  shells, 

232 
Fuse,  detonator,  623-625 

Time-Mark  80-44   (see  Time  fuse), 
660-683 
Fuse  plug,   British   18-lb.  shrapnel,   73, 
74-82 


H 


Heat  treatment,  British  18-lb.  shrapnel, 
57 
British  18-lb.  shrapnel  forgings,  24 
British    shells — temperatures,    etc., 

759 
French  120-mm.  explosive  shell,  506 
Russian    3-in.    high-explosive   shell, 
454 
High-explosive  shell  details,  743-754 
British  18-lb.,  744 
60-lb.,  746 

6-in.  Mark  XVI,  747 
8-in.  howitzer  shell,  748 


INDEX 


763 


High-explosive     shell     details,     British 
9.2-in.  howitzer  shell  Mark  II, 
749 
9.2-in.  howitzer  shell  Mark  IX,  750 
12-in.  howitzer  shell  Mark  IV,  751 
12-in.  howitzer  shell  Mark  V,  752 
15-in.  howitzer  shell,  753 
15-in.  gun  shell,  754 
French  120-mm.,  745 
Russian  1-lb.,  743 

3-in.,  743 
Serbian  120-mm.,  745 
High-explosive  shells,  231 
explosive  used,  233 
fuse  and  charge,  232 
heads,  207 
materials  of  construction  and  shape, 

231 
steel,  235 
High-explosive-shell   manufacture,    236- 
514 
British  18-lb.,  251-311 
drive  band,  298-301 
final  inspection,  305-308 
manufacturing  processes  and 

equipment,  278-311 
operation  data,  251-278 
painting,  308-309 
shop  inspection  and  hospital  work, 

292-294 
standard  stamps,  311 
British  4.5-in.,  242-247,  312-365 
drive  band,  358,  361 
forging  blanks,  242-247 
inspection,  247 
operations,  242-247 
piercing  operation,  242 
luting  and  packing,  365 
manufacturing      processes       and 

equipment,  325-365 
operation  data,  312-325 
shell  inspection,  355,  363 
varnishing  inside,  360 
British  8-in.  howitzer,  366-388 
drive  band,  378 
gages,  384-388 
inspection,  383-388 
manufacturing      processes      and 

equipment,  374-383 
operation  data,  368-373 
British   9.2-in.    Mark   IV  howitzer, 
389-398 
drive  band,  395 


High-explosive-shell  British  9.2-in.  Mark 
IV  howitzer,  manufacturing  proc- 
esses and  equipment,  392-398 
sequence  of  operations,  391 
British    12-in.    Mark    IV   howitzer, 
399-411 
adapter,  408,  410 
drive  band,  410 

manufacturing      processes       and 
equipment,  399-411 
French  120-mm.,  494-514 
drive  band,  510 
eccentricity  test,  512 
heat  treatment,  506 
hydraulic  pressure  test,  509 
inspection,  504,  511,  513 
manufacturing      processes       and 

equipment,  499-514 
operation  data,  494r-499 
packing,  514 
volumetric  test,  505-506 
Russian  1-lb.,  412-441 
chemical  composition,  413 
drive  band,  425 
gas  check,  432 
inspection,  438 
loading,  435 
manufacturing    processes    and 

equipment,  423-441 
operation  data,  413-423 
Russian  3-in.,  442-459 
chemical  composition,  453 
drive  band,  458 
heat  treatment,  454 
inspection,  458-459 
manufacturing      processes       and 

equipment,  453-459 
operation  data,  448-453 
Serbian  120-mm.,  460-493 
drive  band,  487-488 
gages,  483 

inside  varnishing,  489 
inspection,  482 
manufacturing      processes      and 

equipment,  471-493 
ogive,  484-485 
operation  data,  461-471 
packing,  492-493 
painting,  490 
point  or  cap,  491-492 
High-explosive  shell  forging  blanks,  236- 
242 
analysis  and  tests,  241 


764 


INDEX 


High-explosive-shell  manufacturing  proc- 
esses and  equipment,  237-241 
mixture,  236 

Hydraulic  pressure  test,  French  120-mm. 
explosive  shell,  509 


Ignition  of  shrapnel  fuse,  5 
Inspection,    projectile — British    require- 
ments, 755-756 


Light  shells,  737 

Loading  primers  for  cartridge  cases,  719- 
725 

M 

Machine  tools  for  munition  manufacture, 
729-734 
exports,  729 
Manufacturers  of  cartridge  cases: 
American  Locomotive  Co.,  555 
Canadian  Pacific  Angus  Shops,  577 
New  York  and  Hagerstown   Metal 

Stamping  Co.,  536 
Worcester  Pressed  Steel  Co.,  595 
Manufacturers  of  high-explosive  shells: 
American  Brake  Shoe  and  Foundry 

Co.,  389-391 
Canadian  Allis-Chalmers  Co.,  312 
Canadian  Car  &  Foundry  Dominion 

Works,  242 
Canadian  Steel  Foundries,  Ltd.,  236 
Dominion  Bridge  Co.,  Ltd.,  251 
East  Jersey  Pipe  Corporation,  442 
Providence  Engineering  Works,  460 
Manufacturers  of  detonating  fuses : 

American  Steam  Gauge  and  Valve 
Manufacturing  Co.,  625 
Manufacturers  of  primers  for  cartridge 
cases : 
American  Multigraph  Co.,  705 
Manufacturers  of  shrapnel : 

Canadian  Car  &  Foundry  Co.,  26 
Canadian  Ingersoll-Rand  Co.,  31 
Dominion  Bridge  Co.,  222 
Montreal  Locomotive  Co.,  8 
Montreal  Locomotive  Co.,  8 

N 
New  York  and  Hagerstown  Metal  Stamp- 
ing Co.,  536 


Paint,  diameter  over — British  shells,  757 
Painting  shells,  British  prices,  757 
Piercing  operations,  British  18-lb.  shrap- 
nel, 29 
British  4.5-in.  high-explosive  blanks, 
242 
Powder  cups,  British  18-lb.  shrapnel,  66- 

67 
Primers  for  cartridge  cases,  705-719 
anvil,  714 

manufacturing      processes       and 

equipment,  716-717 
operation  data,  714-715 
body,  706 

manufacturing      processes       and 

equipment,  708-714 
operation  data,  707-708 
loading,  719-725 
plug,  717 

manufacturing       processes       and 

equipment,  718 
operation  data,  718 
"Productograph,"  446 
Projectile    inspection,     British    require- 
ments, 755-756 
Providence  Engineering  Works,  460 


Rolling  cartridge  brass  (see  Cartridge 
brass,  Rolling),  528-535 

Russian  high-explosive  shells  (see  High- 
explosive  shells),  412-459 

Russian  shrapnel  (see  Shrapnel),  83-182 


Serbian  120-mm.  shells  (see  High-explo- 
sive shells),  460-493 
Shrapnel,  3 

details  of  design,  4 
Shrapnel  details,  738-742 
British  3-in.,  739 

60-lb.  Mark  I,  741 
French  75-mm.,  738 
Russian  3-in.,  740 

12-in.,  742 
Spanish  75-mm.,  738 
Shrapnel,  British  18-lb.,  8-82,  183-196 
French  75-mm.,  6 
Russian  3-in.,  83-145 


Russian  12-in.,  146-182 


INDEX 


765 


Shrapnel  fuse,  ignition  of,  5 
Shrapnel  manufacture,  8-228 
British  18-lb.,  8-82,  183-196 
forging  blanks,  8-26 

base  forming  stops  and  strip- 
pers, 21 
cutting  bars,  8 
cutting-off  blanks,  27 
drawing  operation,  19,  29 
flanging  press,  13 
forging,  12 
forging  hints,  23 
forging  operations,  13,  17 
heat  treatment,  24 
piercing  operations,  29 
upsetting  blanks,  28 
making  shells,  31-65 
boxing,  62 
chucking,  56 
closing-in,  58 

double-spindle  flat  turret  lathes, 
62-65 
operations,  63 
drive  band,  59 
filling  shell,  60 
gages,  56 

grinding  operations,  58 
heat  treatment,  57 
inspection,  57,  58 
operation  data,  32-55 
painting,  62 

soldering  powder  tubes,  62 
manufacturing  with  regular  shop 
equipment,  183-196 
manufacturing     processes     and 

equipment,  185-196 
operation  data,  183-185 
powder  cups,   discs,   sockets  and 
plugs,  66-82 
fuse  plug,  73 
birch  log,  74 

manufacturing       processes 

and  equipment,  79-82 
operation  data,  75-78 
powder  cup,  assembling,  67 

operations,  66 
sockets,  72 
steel  disc,  68 
Russian  3-in.,  83-145 

manufacturing      processes      and 

equipment,  112-126 
manufacturing     processes     in     a 
pump  shop,  138-145 


Shrapnel    manufacture,    Russian    3-in., 
operation  data,  85-112 
operation  data  in  a  pump  shop, 
126-138 
Russian  12-in.,  146-182 

manufacturing      processes       and 

equipment,  158-182 
operation  data,  146-158 
Shrapnel   parts,    manufacture   on   auto- 
matic machines,  196-203 
case,  196 

fuse  body  and  caps,  202 
head,  199 
Shrapnel  production  in  a  bridge  shop, 
222-228 
flat-turret  operations,  223 
painting,  228 
production,  228 
reinforced  boring  bars,  225 
turning  case,  228 
Shrapnel  shell  parts,  automatic  produc- 
tion of,  203-220 
fuse  heads,  203 
priming  plug,  projectile,  217 
sockets,  212 
time  fuse  bodies,  217 
nose,  212 
rings,  218 
Sockets,  British  18-lb.  shrapnel,  72 
Specifications  for  cartridge  brass,  517 
Steel  discs,  British  18-lb.  shrapnel,  68 
Steel,  high-explosive  shell,  235 


Time  fuse,  British— Mark  80-44,  660-683 

manufacturing  processes  and  equip- 
ment, 667-683 

sequence  of  operations,  665 

specifications,  662-665 
Time  fuse  caps  and  base  plugs,  683-694 
Time  fuse  small  parts,  British,  694-704 

production,  704 
Timing  device,  shrapnel,  4 


Variations  in  German  high-explosive 
shell  steel,  736 

Volumetric  test,  French  120-mm.  explo- 
sive shell,  505-506 

W 

Weights  of  British  shells,  758 
Worcester  Pressed  Steel  Co.,  595 


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